


Nightsinger

by Zefbunny



Category: Original Work
Genre: Aliens, Idols, Inspired by Music, Music, Music with powers, Musicians, Mysteries, Nightcore, Nightsingers, Other, Song - Freeform, idol, singers - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 12:07:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 41,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17960198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zefbunny/pseuds/Zefbunny
Summary: https://www.wattpad.com/story/179506723-nightsingers-a-nightcore-story





	1. 0

Nowadays, a lot of people love idols, with both the fans and singers originating from all over the world. Like J-Pop, K-Pop, and even techno; nowadays, anyone could be anything they wanted. In the place I live in, the Stardust Isles, famous idols and musicians call it home, with millions of fans all over the globe.

The most recent idol group from Japan, Future Stars, departed their country and arrived in Stardust Isles for a tour, as well as a break from after the fan-related incidents and the growing popularity of idols in Japan. The pioneer, named Uta Minami, was the star of the show; she was an android that could sing, talk, and translate different languages. But even before they could begin their journey towards Stardust Isles, they had already hit the charts there; selling millions of albums, merchandise, and other things all over the Nine Cities.

I would like to be an idol someday when I grow up. This is what achieve I to be, born and raised as a simple girl, and later to rise toward stardom to be a singer to everyone all over the world. I am Michelle Mangonia, call me Mitch for short. I’m the daughter of one of the richest and most professional celebrity cooks on the Isles. Surely one has heard of many rich parents being greedy jerks as well as overprotective parents, but my parents are not.

In one of their restaurants, I usually work part-time as a waitress during summer vacations. But that’s not my main thing; I’m an outgoing girl. I post a lot on social media and even made my own music on the internet! But for now, I’m kind of an unpopular person in the midst of pop stars and famous singers, I’ve got only a few hundreds of followers and subscribers. I love to listen to a lot of music, like K-Pop, but my most favorite music genre is techno!

Before all of this, though, my interest in music all started when I was ten. Watching TV as a kid, I watched my favorite music channel, Voxa. Watching all these cool music videos, and interviews of singers. But one caught my eye. A group of cyber idols from Japan called Future Stars! I quickly loved their debut song and I have always been excited to see them soon!

At dinner, my mom and dad prepared a fancy meal for us. Unfortunately, I arrived late in the dining room, although I wasn’t too late, as there were still many dishes. Excited, I told my family about Future Stars.

“Mom! I found a new group from the TV called Future Stars! They’re so cool!” I beamed with excitement.  
“Mitch! Hey, hey, settle down.” Mom laughed. “I made your favorite, mango pudding! But you have to eat your greens before you eat this dessert. Dad’s still cooking the lasagna.”  
“Okay!.” I said as I sat near the table and smiled.  
“Michi, why the happy face?” asked my big sister Indigo, who was calculating math problems.  
“Because of my favorite idol group, Future Stars! It’s the best! But my favorite is the leader of the group, Uta Minami!”  
“Uta Minami?” she asked.  
“Yeah, I really want to meet her in their debut concert soon.”  
“Eh, they’re not my cup of tea. I prefer Princess. And Scarlet Monarch. Also, that band with the same-haired guys.”  
“Ah, don’t you hate on these idols!”  
“Well, Mitch. You must be like a lady, not a weeaboo.”  
“Whatever Indigo, you should stop being a boring person.”

Our baby brother Ren was playing with his toy cars around the kitchen, and I look at him seriously. He is the youngest among us, and he is still small, but really active. 

“Ren! Stop running around the dining room!” Mom said, as she carried him and told him to behave in the dining room. 

Finally, Dad went to the table, holding a plate of mozzarella lasagna with pepperoni; and a huge family-sized caesar salad. 

“Bon appetit, Mitch!” he exclaimed.  
“Thanks, Dad.”

We ate our dinner happily as we discussed the Future Stars. All of a sudden, the doorbell rang.

“Who’s that? I’ll get it!” I said, opening the door, with the stranger facing me.  
“Glyris? Is that really you?” Mom asked.

Glyris had straight, green hair, with a pale complexion. She put her bags down on the floor, and sat together with us, with a tired expression. 

“Glyris?” I said.  
“Don’t disturb her. She’s way too stressed from college.”

After we ate dinner, I watched the news about Future Stars.

“So, Future Stars are planning a concert soon after they became the number one group on social media after releasing their debut album, “Uprising.” Their biggest hit single, “Futurix”, rose up to the top 10 charts, as groups of fans were cheering them on.”

 

Too late for me. I was a kid, and I can never get the ticket for their debut concert. But… I wish I could make through next time when I’m mature enough to see them. I wish to be like them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.wattpad.com/story/179506723-nightsingers-a-nightcore-story


	2. 0

Mitch’s POV  
Four years later, I heard that my parents were planning to move to another city for some reason that I don’t know about; probably so I can make more friends and a better life there, I think; so one day, I saw them put a “for sale” sign on our lawn.   
They’re going to sell our house soon. As they told me to pack my things a few weeks before the house was finally sold and we moved out, I felt nervous; I had to leave my old friends, my old school, and all the fun things.

The day finally came, when all our things were organized neatly in boxes and the house was absolutely empty; my parents said it was bought by a mysterious man with “a lot of things and cats”. The moving truck arrived to deliver the bigger things, and our family car had our clothes and books in it. Saying my last goodbyes to the house that I grew up in, I shed a single tear, while entering the car and riding away from my former abode.

As we drove from our former hometown of Sunvale, towards the sparkling futuristic metropolis that was Rytem. A city of idols, singers, and musicians; it was the city of dreams, and everyone loved music there. A few hours later, we reached Rytem, and saw a bevy of people go about their lives on the streets; some of them holding guitars, flutes, and other light instruments; and some listened to music using headsets. It was the city of my dreams.

“It’s so pretty! I hope I could be like them in the future. Musicians, and inspirations.” I beamed with happiness. “Why do we have to move here again?”  
“It’s a better place than Sunvale. We moved here so you could have a better life, and not be bored and tired all the time. I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a lot of new friends waiting for you.”  
“Really, Mom? That’s so cool! Thank you!”  
“And there’s a restaurant here. We’re going to work there as executive chefs! It was built a hundred years ago.”  
“That’s really amazing. I love this city!”

Our car drove further into the city, and I saw the billboards on skyscrapers with idols and bands on them. One of them was Future Stars.

“It’s Uta Minami!” I exclaimed.

However, suddenly our car was stopped because of a sudden traffic jam. Instead of it being loud and car horns all over the place, it was surprisingly calm. 

“Well, Mitch. We think that you’ll like our new house. But now, we’ve gotta wait for the traffic to pass.” Dad said.

After the traffic jam was over and the trip went smoothly again, we took a U-turn and entered a part of the city, which had a few tall buildings, a grocery store, and several other shops. The main building, however, was a building that looked like an apartment. It was tall, at least thirty floors high, and painted in cool blue and light grey.

“Well, we’re here. Mitch, Ren, Indigo; can you carry your own bags? We’ll handle the big stuff. The moving truck’s gonna catch up in a few hours.” Dad inquired.

With that, I got my bags out of the car trunk and followed Ren along with Indigo into the lobby of the apartment building. Our parents followed suit. They talked with the receptionists for a while and got the keys. Telling us to go up the lift, I went into the lift carrying my things, with Ren and Indigo carrying their own bags; and our parents talking on the phone with people.

Finally, as the lift reached the fifteenth floor, the level our room was in; I followed my family towards the room that we would stay in. Room 1532. After the door was unlocked, I opened it, entered, and turned the lights on. Turns out, there were four rooms; I guessed them to be my room, Ren’s, Indigo’s, our parents’, and the bathroom. There was also a kitchen. While the living room was tidy and furnished, I gasped a bit, as there were several dead cockroaches lying on the floor. 

“Eugh! Yikes! Why are there so much gross things here?” I shouted.  
“Mitch turns out the last person here didn’t really clean the bugs yet. Don’t worry, we’re gonna clean it all up today,” replied Dad. “We got bug spray, though.”

I felt increasingly uncomfortable, as well as scared. Getting the boxes and bags full of my things, I nervously carried them.

“Be careful, my dear.” Mom said.   
“Why do I have to go here?” I sighed. They didn't answer my question, and I was left glaring over the living room. I drop the box while my family gets the boxes. “I think I’m not gonna get used to this…”  
“Well, I guess you’re going to have to get used to it. Besides, you’re going to go to school soon and you’ll meet a lot of new friends.” Dad answered as he got some electronics from one of the boxes.  
“Honey, maybe you can clean your room? It’s going to be comfy after everything’s all tidy!” Mom inquired while sweeping the floor.

“Ah, alright.” I said, opening the door of my new bedroom. It was empty, with light orange walls, a clean wood floor, and a single bed with white blankets. I put my things down on the floor and started to clean up the room.

A few hours passed, and I finally finished decorating my room. It turned out nice, which I didn’t expect at first. Plopping down on my bed, I got my phone and opened it, putting on music. Just before that happened…   
“Hey sis!” a voice suddenly surprised me. It turned out to be from my twelve year-old brother, Ren, playing some random game on his cellphone.   
“Ah! Ren, don’t surprise me like that!” I fumed. “Get away from my room right now!”  
“Hmph! You can’t enter mine either, then.”  
“Would you just mind your own business now?”  
“Sneaky snake.” he mocked as he went out.  
“Fat pig.”

After my brother went outside, I locked the door. Putting my headphones on, and plugging them to my phone, I played a song, as I started to sing.

When I'm bored at home and I'm on the internet  
I'm searching for my favourite songs to listen next  
But all I see on the screen is Nightcore's  
It sort of sounds the same but it just isn't quite right

It sounds like it's sped up and the pitch is up too high  
What have they done to my song, tell me why?

Welcome to Nightcore

Nightcore  
Nightcore  
Nightcore  
Nightcore  
Nightcore this song for me now  
Nightcore  
Nightcore  
Nightcore  
Nightcore

Nightcore this if you know how

I'll show you how  
This is how to Nightcore  
Listen up  
And I'll tell you all  
Step 1: Take the pitch control  
Push it up  
And that's basically it

Nightcore this!

Nightcore  
Nightcore  
Nightcore  
Nightcore  
Nightcore this song for me now  
Nightcore  
Nightcore  
Nightcore  
Nightcore  
Nightcore this if you know how

Now when I'm looking for my songs on the internet  
I'm searching for the Nightcore's  
'Cause now they're my favourite  
I can't believe now I think they're the best

I like them 'cause they're faster  
I like them 'cause they're high  
I like the chipmunk voices, they always make me smile  
And now I know why they go making Nightcore

And when this part gets Nightcore'd  
It almost sounds normal  
But what's the point at all?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.wattpad.com/story/179506723-nightsingers-a-nightcore-story


	3. 2

Mitch’s POV

As I woke up, I noticed that it was a Sunday morning. Looking out the window, it looked to be still early morning, with the sun not even in the currently dark blue sky yet. Getting up to clean my bed, I whistled a song to myself; afterwards, I got an orange sweater and light blue jeans from my closet, then walked to the front of the mirror in my room. Quickly, I changed my clothes.  
Lying on the bedside table was a nearby comb, I picked it up and brushed my hair as my whistling turned into singing.

All of a sudden, some sort of song rang throughout the room. So loud, that it shook the mirror off the wall.

“Mitch?! What happened? Are you mad about our new house?” Mom shouted from outside, her voice muffled.  
“No! The mirror just dropped. I’m gonna fix that soon.” I replied.  
“Alright, just don’t prick yourself.”

A sense of foreboding flashed into me, along with an orange orb of light briefly appearing in my vision. It was just like some kind of unknown magical power from music caused that sound… 

Yamia’s POV

I woke up as a strange noise like shattering ice crystals reached my room. Looking around, I saw nothing wrong, except for a glowing electric yellow light, that quickly flashed out of my sight. A short sound came from my phone; turns out, someone sent an Accord message to me.

Patty-Chan80: Hey, Yamia! I really need your help then.

I started to chat with her.

YamiaCake: Argh. I’m so sleepy. The social media today is kinda weird. What are you doing now, Patty?  
Patty-Chan80: I’m in bed. Just went shopping with Gladys last night. She’s buying so much clothes! And I only got a few.  
YamiaCake: Okay. Any more recent stuff?  
Patty-Chan80: Oh, I heard from this theory account, that said that a lot of people got superpowers from music! That’s pretty cool, I guess.  
YamiaCake: I don’t know. I think it’s too much for me to be a hero.  
Patty-Chan80: Hey, you know what? They say some people have the power, Yamia! What about you?  
YamiaCake: What? I don’t know, I’m kinda scared.  
Patty-Chan80: Alright, up to you, then. Ah, I gotta go.  
YamiaCake: Me too, bye.

I quickly put my phone in my shirt pocket, went out of my room, and walked down the stairs. The smell of breakfast cooking could be smelled from up; Mom was cooking some bacon and eggs. 

“Yamia, why are you up so early?”  
“I gotta do something—” I started to say, but was suddenly stopped, as I suddenly fell down the stairs; fortunately, my bones weren’t broken. I got up.  
“Yamia?! Are you okay?”  
“Just fine, Mom. I’m okay.”  
“Hey, your voice is changing. Going through puberty?”  
“What? Mom, I don’t know!” I went out towards outside our room and tried to knock to my neighbour’s door.  
“Hello, it’s Yamia Fosteryard. I need to talk. Where did that noise come from? I can’t sleep because of it!”  
“If you’re asking, I’m not the one that caused all that ruckus! It’s from another room!” screamed the old man. “In fact, I dropped my mug ‘cause I got surprised by those people. They’re the new guys who just arrived here, in this apartment!”  
“I see. Sorry for disturbing you.”

As I walked further away from the previous room, I reached another door, and knocked on it. The door opened, revealing a girl my age.

“Are you the new person here?” I asked awkwardly.  
The girl, who wore a casual outfit and had long orange hair, replied. “Yeah. What is it?”  
“I need to ask you something.”  
“Well, come in.”

We entered the room, and the girl offered me to sit down on a sofa in the living room. She went to the kitchen for a while, and returned with a plate of cookies.

“Anyway, I forgot to introduce myself. My name’s Yamia Fosteryard.”  
“I’m Mitch Mangonia, and my family just moved here from Sunvale. Nice to meet you.”  
“What happened there in your room? I heard the sound of breaking glass. Did something break?”  
“Yeah, the mirror in my room suddenly broke for some weird reason.”  
“Are you okay?”  
“Yup. Don’t worry, I’m alright.” Mitch replied. “Anyway, on the brighter side, what kind of music do you like?”  
“I like J-Pop, K-Pop, and some acoustic songs. Also, speaking of music, have you heard of the urban legend of the Nightcore? They say they give magic powers to people.”

All of a sudden, before I could say something more, there were several pinging noises. It turned out to come from Mitch’s phone, as she took it from the tabletop.

“What the heck?” Mitch said. “Hey, look at this.”  
“Hm? What is it?” I asked.  
“I suddenly got a lot of messages on the Accord app.”

On the screen of her phone, there were some messages, which was probably about the urban legend..

BlueFox: Have you heard of the Nightcore urban legend? It’s a music that gives you mysterious powers.  
AvaxaM: They turn us into wizards?  
53KQ9: I don’t know! Just don’t listen to it. It might be dangerous for you.  
KianneCrystal: Magic powers? Cool!

“There’s hundreds of messages about this whole thing. Who spread it?” Mitch asked.  
“The infamous Chanta Baxter, aka ChitChanta. She’s the most active teen gossiper in the Rytemian social media. Especially on Accord, where she’s on a lot of servers! She claimed that she’d been affected by the Nightcore too.  
“After she chatted about it on Accord, a bunch of dorky conspiracy theory guys talked about it on their blogs. They called the phenomenon “The Change from Music”. They talked about it in a serious way, claiming that it’s reliable information. They compared to witchcraft. Now, a lot of weirdos think music’s just like sorcery, a mysterious energy that could change an ordinary human.” I explained.  
“Sorcery in music?! So that’s why I heard a mysterious song, and that it broke my mirror! I saw an orange light!” Mitch told.  
“I saw a yellow spark of light. That means both of us got affected by the Nightcore.” I said. “Hey. Try to sing. The urban legend says that people that got affected by the Nightcore, have a magical singing voice.”

I could see that Mitch felt a bit scared, as we couldn’t believe that both of us had powers. Shs anxiously looked at me. 

“You can do it, Mitch.” I whispered.

With that, she tried to sing a song. Slowly, as Mitch sang, I noticed that her voice had gotten somehow more melodic. There was also the same sparks that I saw, but orange, and multiple, like glitter.

“You do have powers!” I cheered. “And you sing so well!”  
“Thanks.” Mitch thanked. “Before becoming a dessert chef, my Mom told me that she was a contestant of a singing show on TV a few years before I was born. However, she was disqualified. From there, she gave up music and continued training as a chef. I wish to be an idol, and my Mom says that I can be a better singer than her. I want to be an idol, just like Uta Minami, leader of Future Stars. See?”

Mitch got her phone, and showed me a picture of a group of eight different idol singers. It was Future Stars, the most famous idol group in the world.

“The best idol group ever. There were eight, but suddenly one of them left, and the number became seven.” Mitch explained.  
“I only know Uta, Aoi, Hoshi, Sakura, Kiyomi, Sora and Michi.” I told.  
“Also, to change the topic a bit, I’m kinda new to this city. Maybe you can show me around?”  
“Sure! And it’s best to go in the morning. It’s not too crowded, and it’s just right. Most of the shops open at this time.”  
“Well, then, let’s go!”

Just before we got up, a woman entered the living room. She was about thirty years old, with long wavy orange hair, brown eyes, and was wearing a white chef’s outfit.

“Mom, this is my new friend, Yamia Fosteryard.” Mitch told the woman. “She’s gonna show me around the city.”  
“Ah! I was just about to go to the restaurant. Oh hi, Yamia! I’m glad Mitch found a friend like you. She’s new here. Anyway, you can go, but be careful!” the woman, who turned out to be Mitch’s mom, said. “Here’s fifty Stardust dollars, Mitch. Don’t spend it all on one place!”  
“Thanks!” Mitch replied, receiving the money.  
“Now then, I’ll be out! See you later!” Mitch’s mom said, walking out the doorway of the apartment room.

A few minutes after that, Mitch and I looked at each other for a while.

“So, we’re going now?” Mitch asked.  
“Yeah.” I replied calmly.


	4. 3

3rd Person POV

A day before, in the city of Zoukaheim, the city in between North Sunvale and Winterside, and famously known as “The City of Inventions”, as many workshops and family businesses-turned-successful companies opened up shop there. Most of the families, who own said businesses, housed creative people; and they had produced nearly hundreds of products, goods, and inventions.

Taylor Tyler, the second eldest son of Prof. Stefano Tyler, a chemistry teacher, and Elize Hyrell-Tyler, an owner of a store selling rare vinyl records. He, following the footsteps of his parents, read books about chemistry, and started to collect cartridges of video games in his spare time.

He liked music, but did not put much focus into it. Meanwhile, his elder brother Baz, mainly focused on repairing laptops, computers, and other appliances; while his youngest brother Vad spent some of his weekends as an English and science tutor for elementary school students with his father.

While his brothers minded their own business, Taylor snuck into the garage to find some things that he could collect, or even sell. After a few minutes of rummaging around, he found a box, which was made of some kind of light metal, in the midst of hundreds of items they had.   
As he tried to grab it, he noticed that other boxes placed below it looked like they started to fall. Quickly, he grabbed the box, as the other objects dropped with a loud clattering that could be heard from outside.

“Tay!” shouted a voice from outside. It came from Baz, who was soldering a part of a TV set in the front yard.  
“Sorry, I’ll clean that up later!” Tay said, walking out of the garage. “I found treasure!”  
“What’s inside, bro?”  
“I don’t know, it’s locked!”  
“Maybe you can pick the lock?” Baz said, handing Taylor a lock-picking tool.  
Taylor took it, attempted to break the lock, but failed. “It won’t budge.”  
Baz eyed the box, noticing the hexagon-shaped keyhole. “The keyhole isn’t like any other. You need a special key.”  
“But there’s no time! We need to open this RIGHT NOW!”  
“Maybe Dad knows how to unlock it!”

All of a sudden, there was someone on the front yard. A black-haired teen boy wearing a blue shirt along with dark grey slacks and shoes. It was Vad.

“Dad let me go home early.” Vad said. “And what are you guys doing?”  
“Tay just got this box, and we’re trying to open it.” Baz replied.  
“It’s hard to open because it needs some kind of special key.” Taylor replied. “We need the key, but we don’t have it.”  
“Well, I guess we’ll have to call it a day. It’s getting late.”  
“I’ll take the box with me.” Taylor said.

As the other boys went into the house, only Taylor was left outside with the mysterious metal box. Standing up and picking the box up to take it inside the house, Taylor noticed something shimmering placed below the fence of their house. Putting the box aside and running to the fence, he saw some kind of gem, glowing bright cyan. He got it, and slipped it inside a pocket on his jacket.

Taylor finally picked up the box and carried it inside into the house. Inside, everyone else was busy with their own things; Baz and Vad were both watching TV, their mother was washing the dishes, and their father was doing calculations on the dinner table.

“Hey Baz?” Taylor said.  
“What?” his brother replied, facing away from the TV.  
“While we couldn’t unlock the box we just found,” Taylor announced, taking the cyan gem out of his jacket’s pocket, “I found this.”  
“Woah, it almost looks like some kind of galaxy! Maybe we could sell this. We’ll get rich!”  
“Not just yet. Maybe this could unlock the box. It does kinda match the lock…?”  
“Fair point. Let’s unlock it in the study.”

With that, Taylor and Baz entered their father’s study, carrying the mysterious box along. Taking out the cyan gem, Taylor slotted it into the unusual hexagon-shaped keyhole of the box. A quiet click was heard, and the box opened. The boys peered into it; the box contained several CDs, as well as a few thin books and magazines.

“You know, I thought it was gonna have money in it. But this is better!” Taylor exclaimed. He quickly got the CDs out of the box.  
“It’s all the good stuff. Herr M, That K, AMP, The Toxics…You know, we could sell these.” Baz joked.  
“But we won’t.”

After most of the box’s contents were cleared — Taylor took the CDs, while Baz took the magazines — Baz saw the last few items in the box, which were a few bundles of hundred- and fifty-valued Stardust Isles dollar bills.

“So…” Baz said, counting the money. “It’s real. And it’s at around five hundred dollars in total. I think we should divide it.”  
“Each of us get, like, two hundred-fifty dollars?” Taylor asked.  
“Yeah. Here you go.” Baz said, handing Taylor a sum of the money. “Don’t use it for harmful crap.”  
“Thanks.”

Later that night, Taylor played one of the CDs he obtained from the box — an unmarked one with a geometric-styled, black and cyan cover — and as he played it, something suddenly happened. A cyan light suddenly shone from the CD player.


	5. 4

Jacqueline’s POV

I sat in the mansion’s living room, drinking tea and looking through the windows, as many people walked by in the streets. Father was on the other side of the room, sipping his coffee while sitting on his favorite chair. He’s a strict person who prefers to forget about music; he’d told me a few times before that I shouldn’t care about it.

“Jacqueline. Stay away from your “friends”, they’re an uncultured lot. Also, please delete that cacophonic excuse for a bunch of songs from your phone,” Father told me, making me slightly nervous.  
“But my friends are good people. And my music taste is fine.” I replied.  
“Jacqueline, please listen. That “music” is why your grades in that subject are dropping. I will consider talking to your teachers, especially Principal Ironstone. If you keep up this act, I will be forced to make you study at home with a private tutor.”  
Shocked, I put my cup of tea on the table and looked at Father. “No. That’s not true. I know that Mom is a singer. But you keep denying that, and thinking that music is a waste of time. I feel like a lot of people hate me because of you.”  
Father gasped. “How dare you say that to me? Whatever, I have more important affairs to attend.”

I sighed. My cat, Butterscotch, ran into the living room from the kitchen, as Father left the room.

“Butterscotch, I don’t want to stay here. I want to go out with my friends.” I said, sadly.  
“Meow.” Butterscotch only meowed.  
“Fine. I will go.”

Quickly, I ran to my bedroom upstairs and got my bag. I’ve finally made up my mind, and I’m going away. Making my way slowly going down the stairs, I looked down towards the living room below, hiding behind a nearby potted plant with Butterscotch, as I saw Father talking with…a five-person band?! I thought he hated music!

“Let me introduce myself. My name is Bella Beethoven, and I would like to ask you if you want me to perform in the Evergreen Tower with my band, JazzCore Xperience. Thank you, Mr. Thomas Evergreen.” the supposed leader of the band said.  
“I’m afraid not. The Evergreen Tower has no upcoming events at the moment, and I am not a fan of contemporary music. No further questions, please. I must ask you to leave.” Father said to them.  
”I understand, Mr. Evergreen. Thank you, anyway.”

As the band left, Father slammed the door and walk away from it, and sat down on his favorite chair while reading some newspaper. How dare he turn down that offer from the jazz band? I continued walking down the stairs, simply trying to open the door when I got down the stairs to the living room. Suddenly, Father turned to me just before I opened the door.

“Jacqueline, where are you going? Hanging out with your friends?” he asked.  
“Just going to buy some groceries. We ran out of bread.” I lied, as I finally opened the door, and went outside. Running towards the streets, I suddenly bumped into a mysterious person. She had dyed blue hair, blue eyes, and was wearing an outfit that looked like a classic musician’s. That was the girl I saw my dad talking to!  
“Oh, I’m sorry!” I gasped. “Hey, I think I saw you in my house! You talked to my dad.”  
“I’m sorry too! But excuse me, who are you?” the girl asked.

“I’m Jacqueline Evergreen, the daughter of Thomas Evergreen. Um, are you Bella Beethoven?”  
“Nice to meet you; and yes, I’m Bella. I’m the lead pianist of my group, JazzCore Experience.” Bella introduced. “Meet my two friends and bandmates; Fortesa Allan, my childhood friend and the band’s violinist; and Onris, the band’s saxophone player. He also plays the trumpet.”  
“Really? You all are amazing! I saw your band on TV once. I really know you got that talent.”  
“We also take music lessons. You?”  
“I love music! But my dad really hates it.”  
“Why?”

As I talked about my past; Bella, her band’s members, and I walked further on the sidewalk and told our stories to each other. I told the whole story about my family.

“So, my Mom was a singer. She was a good singer who sang at the Rose Lounge, a luxury restaurant Father often went to. Father loved Mom very much. Sometimes, they sang together in events. However, they weren’t married yet. Meanwhile, her albums are selling well across the cities, and she soon became popular.   
“Father loves music very much if he always with her. Later, she won the yearly award for best musician, and planned to have a world tour with Father. A few years later, they married, and I was born. I remember when she sang me a lullaby…   
“Unfortunately, she fell sick, and soon… passed away. My whole extended family grieved, especially my father and I. Soon, after the funeral, my father wanted to forget music, because it reminded him of Mom. He hid all the records and photo of her, except one last picture that I’ve kept by myself.   
“He started hating music, and he told me to not join any music-related events. I really want to be like my mom, but Father would never listen. So I ran away. I’m going to make my own fame, all by myself.” I told the band.  
“Oh…I’m sorry. But hey, lighten up, at least you’re free now! And you can join our band if you like!” Bella replied.  
“Sure. But I can only sing.”  
“That’s alright! And you’re just in luck, our band needs a vocalist.” Fortesa cut in.  
“Then, I’ll join you guys!” I exclaimed happily. “Anyway, I got inspired by Herr M. He’s cool.”  
“Hey, that’s my favorite singer! Along with That K. They collaborated on her hit album “Jiggle and Dream”. She’s great too.” Bella said.  
“Hey, is that your piano? Nice.” I said, pointing at Bella’s backpack. It was opened, with a mini electric piano peeking out of it.  
“Yeah, it is, thank you.” she replied. “This was my birthday gift, my Dad bought it from Italy. My parents were theater singers. They’ve been teaching me music since I was five.”  
“I want to see you play that piano.”  
“Sure. But first, we’ve gotta go to our boarding house, let’s go.”

I walked, as I followed Bella and her band to their boarding house. After a few minutes of walking by the part of the city mainly consisted of apartments, we finally stopped in front of a flat that was at least ten floors high. 

“So, this is our boarding house.” Bella announced. “You can live here with us, there’s a vacant bed in our room. I’ll have to ask the manager first.”

We entered the boarding house’s lobby, which was a comfortable-looking one with an antique piano, and Bella went to the receptionist. They talked for a while, for around a few minutes, and afterwards Bella walked up to me.

“Okay, she said it’s alright. I mean, you’re a member of the band.” Bella said. “You going to be the vocalist.”  
“Thank you so much!” I thanked Bella. “But please, don’t let Father know. He’ll be angry if he knows that I’m a member of your group.”  
“It’s okay, Jacqueline.”  
“So, now can you play the piano?”

With that, she sat in front of the piano in the room, and started playing. She played the piano gracefully, with every note sounding melodic. I was focused on the music she played, and it was simply awesome.

“That’s so amazing, Bella!” I exclaimed to her, applauding.  
“Thanks.” Bella thanked. “Hey, wanna sing, Jacqueline?”  
“I think I can’t,” I nervously said. “I haven’t sang in years.”  
“Don’t worry, Green Tree. I know you can do it.”  
“I’ll try.”

I took a deep breath and breathed out and I start to sing. I prepared to sing accompanying Bella’s piano playing.

As I sang, I felt some kind of mysterious power rising from me, and it shook me. Feeling a bit scared and not knowing what just happened, I ran away.

“Jacqueline, where are you going?” Bella asked, worriedly.  
“I can’t do it!” I cried, not sparing a second to look at Bella and her bandmates.  
“Wait! Come back!”

Just as I was outside the building, I continued running away; but I saw someone familiar. All of a sudden, Father was walking with some guards, and he spotted me.

“Jacqueline?! What are you doing here? I couldn’t even find you at the store.” Father questioned.  
“Nothing!” I shouted, clearly lying.  
“Jacqueline, we need to talk.”

Just as he said that, a black limousine arrived near us. Father’s work car. The guards escorted me inside, with them going in the seats on the back afterwards. While Father was talking with the guards, and the car not yet driving off, I saw Bella and her bandmates outside. I couldn’t say a word to them.

“Bella, what happened with Jacqueline?” Fortesa asked.  
“Her dad found her.” cried out Bella. “You know, her dad’s that kind of strict millionaire.”  
“Well, will she come back then?” asked Onris, while cleaning his trumpet.  
“I’m afraid not.” Bella replied, a clear expression of sadness on her face.

And as the conversation ended, the limo drove away from them.

After we arrived home, I attempted to make my way towards my bedroom, but Father pushed me towards the floor, clearly angrier than ever. 

“I can’t believe you conversed with those insolent musicians! Singing and dancing stupidly, like little monkeys! I told you to stay in the house like a proper lady.” he said, shouting at me.  
“Dad, I just said that I was going to buy groceries.” I obviously lied.  
“I know you’re lying. You’re in big trouble, young lady. This is why I don’t trust you.”

All of a sudden, a mysterious feeling — some kind of power in me — suddenly surfaced in my mind, blocking out all my thoughts. Seeing a bright turquoise light in my mind; without warning, I screamed upwards. Quickly, the same light struck the whole room with a force, bringing Father to the floor. With nothing to lose, I sprinted upstairs to my room.

“Jacqueline! Come back!” he shouted from afar. I ignored him.

When I was finally in my room, I locked the door. Not even a minute after, I heard multiple knocks on the door, followed by pleads.

“Jacqueline! Jacqueline, say something! Open up!” Dad shouted. Again, I didn’t listen.

Ignoring the cries, I threw myself on the bed, warm tears stinging my eyes and going down my cheeks. Looking at the framed photo on the bedside table, of my parents and I, sorrow drowned my heart even more.

“I am sorry, Mom. I am sorry, Father.”


	6. 5

Cloud’s POV

It was a sunny noon, and it was the final day of the Annual Inter-School Basketball Championship. Meanwhile, in the locker room, my teammates and I decided to have an urgent meeting to discuss the game.

“Well then, Thunderclouds. I hope we’re all ready for the game. This is our first chance to win and make the school proud!” I announced. I figured that they were all ready, all of them including me wearing our ultramarine basketball uniforms; with our team name on it, Magnolia Thunderclouds, along with our respective team numbers.  
“Actually,” Jay Ford, one of my teammates, said. “I’m not really ready. I feel like we need more practice.”   
“Yeah, we’ve been really busy nowadays.” inquired another teammate.  
“Besides, we’re probably gonna lose anyway.” sighed another.  
“We’re not!” Jay exclaimed. “I mean, we got all the way to the finals!”  
“Did any of you even practice this week?” I shouted. Out of the ten — excluding me — players, only eight raised their hands.  
I sighed. “Alright, since most of you did practice for this match, then let’s get on with it.”  
“Yeah!” the rest of the team all replied.

A few minutes after that, the bells rang, indicating that the match is going to start soon; followed by an announcement. “Attention. It is one PM, and the basketball final match will begin, with the Magnolia Thunderclouds vs Slate Charter Clovers.”  
“Let’s do this!” I said, as we all did the team cheer. “Thunder…C-L-O-U-D-S! Thunderclouds!”

Going out of the locker room and into the basketball court, we were greeted by cheering and applause. Hundreds of people were on the bleachers, with most of them holding up flags and signs, supporting our team, with others holding signs for the away team as well. In the sidelines, the Magnolia Academy cheerleaders were cheering with all their happiness!

“It’s Cloud! Hey!” called out one of the cheerleaders. It was my sister, Stormi, who was pointing at me.  
“I hope they’ll win.” a fellow cheerleader and one of her friends, Kassandra, added.

As we arrived in the court, another team was there as well — the away team from Slate Charter Academy. Most of them were a head taller than us, and looked much more powerful than us. They were all wearing grey-green uniforms, with their respective team name on them, as well as numbers.

“Alright!” the school’s sports announcer from the Sports Club, Rhiannon, said. “Our amazing team, the Magnolia Thunderclouds; are facing against the away team, the Slate Charter Clovers! Fun fact, these two teams in front of us right now are among the best in Stardust Isles’ high school basketball ranks. Let’s see them face off in today’s finals, to see who’ll win the trophy and make their school proud!”

With that, a whistle sounded, and the match finally started. I quickly made my way to catch the ball, and threw it to Jay, who tried to throw it towards the away team’s net. Unfortunately, he was stopped by an away player, and the latter managed to get the ball.  
Not long after, and luckily, one of my teammates got the ball and threw it towards me. Just as I was about to catch it, another player from the away team suddenly swiped the ball, and immediately shot it into our net.

“0-1! Looks like the Clovers are getting the upper hand.”  
“Hah. You can see that they didn’t even try!” one of the players from the away team sneered.  
“Come on Cloud, you can do it!” cheered Amanda, the captain of the cheerleaders.

One of our players got the ball, and tried to shoot it in the away team’s net. I saw two other players behind him, both of who seemed to distract him from scoring. One of them got the ball, and again shot it into the basket and walked past their other teammates.

“Face it. You’re gonna lose.” said one of the players from the away team.  
“0-2! I hope the Thunderclouds play better after this.” Rhiannon commented.  
“You can do it guys, I love you!” cheered Kassandra.

And from that, it didn’t seem to go well at all. The Clovers just kept scoring, while my team was failing, and they weren’t even getting up. Half an hour passed, and we were at 8-7. At the last few minutes, I tried with all my effort to score, and knowing that I could, I threw it towards the net.

And it scored.

“9-7! The Magnolia Thunderclouds made it!”

Not a second after that, the audience suddenly rose into cheering and applause, with some of them even calling out my name, and happily going up to my teammates and I; while the Clovers seemed upset with some of them left the court. The cheerleaders on our side shouted in happiness, while the away team’s cheerleaders threw their pom-poms to the ground as their teammates just suffered. 

Suddenly, a girl my age went up to me. She seemed and looked like a shy person. She had orange hair, and wore a purple dress that was different from our usual school uniform. 

“Umm…hello? Are you Cloud Wytte, the captain of the Magnolia Thunderclouds?” she asked.  
“Yeah, why?” I casually replied.  
“Do you think I’m ugly?” she said, as she held a mirror, looking into it.  
“Of course not!” I gasped. “Actually, you look pretty. Who told you that you’re ugly? Y’know, you shouldn’t listen to bullies.”  
“Amanda Rose.”  
“The most popular girl here?” I asked. “She isn’t really a good advice giver, I tell you.”

As I looked at the girl; I saw that she had a small silver hair clip, which was in the shape of a crown, on her hair.

“Nice hair clip. Where did you get it?”  
“Mom gave this to me when I was in first grade. She was a professional model and a long-time winner of a lot of beauty pageants. I want to be famous like her, but a lot of annoying people called me ugly or a “dirty pig”. Especially that popular cheerleader, Amanda Rose.”  
“I know Amanda Rose. She thinks she’s the richest and prettiest girl in the school. She’s got a bit of an ego problem, kinda like a certain amateur writer.”  
“Yeah, I don’t like her.”  
“Oh! I forgot! What’s your name, by the way?”  
“Elena Konyn.”  
“Nice to meet you.” I said.  
“I know Stormi Wytte, your twin sister. She’s my best friend.” Elena replied. “Also, congratulations on your team’s victory.”  
“Thanks.”

We celebrated the Magnolia Thunderclouds’ win with the rest of my teammates, as well as the cheerleaders, in the cafeteria.  
As we walked in the hallway from the cafeteria, we talked about the school and our respective lives; but all of a sudden, Elena ran ahead from me. Quickly, though I didn’t know what the matter was, I followed suit.

Elena’s POV

While Cloud and I were walking from the cafeteria, I suddenly saw a person in the hallway, on the floor. It was Amanda.

“Cloud? Cloud! Where are you?” I called.  
“I’m right behind you. I don’t know what’s going on, though.” he replied. 

There she was, Amanda, lying down unconscious on the wooden floor of the hallway. With the help of Cloud, I carried her, and we made our way to the school clinic. Just as we were finished setting Amanda on one of the beds, there was a knock on the door.  
I opened it, and immediately saw the whole group of basketball players and cheerleaders in front of me.

“What happened to Amanda?!” one of the basketball players gasped.  
“I don’t know, Jay!” Cloud replied. “Elena saw her just lying there in the hallway. We carried Amanda here. The school nurse will be here any minute. She can find out what’s wrong with Amanda.”

“Maybe it’s because of the Nightcore,” Stormi added. “I’m not sure, though. Because it’s an urban legend.”  
“So, you’re saying that the music made her collapse? If that’s it, I think we’re next!” Kassandra cried out, followed by surprised gasps coming from most of the basketball players and cheerleaders.   
“Music’s gonna kill us!” one of the cheerleaders shouted. With that, the two groups ran out of the room, except for Kass, Jay, Cloud, Stormi and I.

“So, should we get the nurse?” Jay asked, with Stormi, Kass, and Cloud beside him.  
“Well, yeah!” I inquired.

Another basketball player call us to escape the facility.

Not long after, the five of us went out of the clinic; and all of a sudden there was a loud sound, which sounded like a song of some kind. Quickly, we ran away towards the hallway. Cloud covered his ears with his hands, and I did too, as we heard the music, but I saw a spark of gold light, that disappeared shortly. A second later, the music died down.

“Kass, Stormi, Elena, are you all okay?” Cloud asked.  
“Yeah. But I saw a light. It appeared for a while, and it’s pink.” Kass replied.  
“I saw a dark green light.” Stormi said.  
“Mine’s a gold one.” I chimed in.  
“I saw a…vermillion one? I think?” Jay replied.  
“I just saw a white light.” Cloud added. “So, what just happened to the five of us?”

The hallway we were in went awfully silent for a second, until Stormi spoke.  
“Guys… I think we got powers from the Nightcore.” Stormi whispered.  
“What?” Jay panicked. “Is it gonna kill us?!”  
“No, Jay. It’s okay. As long as we don’t overuse our powers, it won’t hurt any of us. At least that’s what the urban legend says.”


	7. 6

Mitch’s POV

After we got out from the city bus, we made our way towards the shopping district of Rytem, which sold a plethora of things; mostly fashion, CDs, video games, and even street foods as well as desserts.   
Yamia and I walked towards a store that sold idol-related merchandise and shirts. While looking around, I glanced outside, and I saw an ad placed on the side of a tall building. It was an ad for my favorite idol group, Future Stars. As always, I really wanted to be famous like them. 

“Mitch? Hello?” Yamia called.  
“Yeah, why?” I replied, looking behind me. Yamia was there, holding a shopping bag full of albums, shirts, and merchandise. “I’m just looking at that Future Stars ad! They’re gonna have a concert here! Aaaaa!”  
“Shhh! You’re so immature!”  
“Sorry.” I apologized.   
“That’s alright.” Yamia said. “Anyway, are you hungry?  
“I kinda am. Some reviews say there’s a good cafe here that makes really good pizza.”

Afterwards, we went to said cafe, which wasn’t so far from the store that we just visited. A few minutes of walking later, we arrived there. The cafe was a simple, yet comfortable one; with warm-colored lights and a wooden floor, along with beige chairs, and tables decorated with pink tablecloths. The cafe was mostly empty, with only the staff and us there, even though it was midday.  
Yamia and I went up to the cashier, and looked at the menu.

“I’ll get a strawberry milkshake, and a large cheese pizza.” Yamia ordered.  
“I’ll get a mango soda float and French fries!” I added.

Yamia paid for the food and drinks. A few minutes later, our order was ready, and I carried the tray full of food to our table. I sat down and drank my soda, while Yamia picked up a slice of pizza. As we ate our lunch, we watched TV, which showed an interview with the famous singer Herr M.

All of a sudden, a commercial appeared on TV, with a girl, who looked like a singer, starring in it.

“The Rytem Music Center is the number one place for aspiring singers, dancers, and musicians to practice their skills and become the best that you can be! You can shine and be the best idol here!” the girl in the commercial happily said.  
After the commercial ended, we looked at each other for a while.

“Wow, I think I’m gonna join that!” I commented.  
“Nah, don’t do it! It’s probably a scam or something.” Yamia replied.  
“Hey, don’t just say that!”  
“Well, alright, it’s your loss if you do join it and there’s nothing. No offense.”  
“Eh, don’t be too pessimistic! You wanna be a singer too, right?”  
“Yeah, you do have a point. Maybe it’ll be worth a shot.”

As Yamia and I talked more, I saw a boy enter the cafe. He had short turquoise hair, blue eyes, and wore a lemon yellow jacket, teal slacks and shoes, blue-framed glasses, and a pair of green headphones. He held a paper shopping bag full of music CDs.

“Hey Yamia, you think he looks kinda cool?” I commented, whispering.  
“Yeah.” Yamia replied. “Why don’t you talk to him, I guess?”  
“Heh, sure.” I said; as I stood up, fixed my hair, and walked up to the boy. “Hello…?”  
“Ah! A stranger! What do you want from me?!” the boy gasped.  
“N-nothing!” I stuttered. “I just wanna say…um…I kinda like your…headphones?”  
“Thank you.”  
“Are you a techno music fan? Because I am.”  
“In fact, yeah, I am. Wait, what’s your name?”  
“Mitch Mangonia.” I said, as I smiled at him.  
“Nice to meet you. I’m Taylor, Taylor Tyler.”  
“So, anyway, about music. Which musicians do you like?”  
“I like Future Stars, Herr M, Team Kings…”  
“Oh my gosh! I love Future Stars too! Which one’s your favorite?!” I gasped.  
“Kiyomi. How about you?” Taylor asked.  
“My favorite’s Uta! I really wanna be an idol like all of them!”  
“Also, my favorite song by them is Robotica. I love the instrumentals.”  
“Hey, not to be out of the loop or anything, but who is Uta?” Yamia suddenly asked.  
“She’s a singing android. With her idol group of fellow singing androids, Future Stars, she’s really famous in Japan. A few weeks ago, she’s been rumored to come here to the Isles for their first international tour!” I happily explained.  
“Some news sites report that she’s gonna be here tonight!”  
“Well, let’s get tickets, I guess.”  
All of a sudden, Yamia pulled out three thin pieces of paper from her backpack. “Got that covered.”  
“What?! How did you get that?” I gasped.  
“It’s a long story. So, most of the people from my dad’s office are gonna watch it together, but my dad and a few friends of his don’t like that kind of stuff. And they gave it to me.”  
“Whoa. Nice.”

As Taylor and I talked about our shared interests, Yamia told us to sit down and order something. With that, Taylor ordered a blue lemonade soda and a honey cheesecake. While we were waiting for the order, the three of us sat down and continued chatting.

“Wait, Taylor, have you heard of the urban legend of the Nightcore? I told Mitch about it this morning!” Yamia explained.  
“I think I’ve heard of it. What is it?” Taylor asked.  
“It’s a set of songs, that are rumored to give their listeners magic powers. It’s pretty cool, but I don’t know if it’s real.”  
“Speaking of mysterious stuff, I had a really weird thing suddenly happen to me last night.” Taylor replied. “I got a bunch of CDs from this mysterious box I found in my garage this early morning, and I listened to it. After that, I saw a cyan light, and when I tried to sing, my voice was really different.”  
“Oh. My. Gosh.” Yamia gasped. “I think you just listened to the Nightcore. And got powers.”  
“Wait, what?” Taylor asked.  
“You have powers now!” I replied.  
“All of us have Nightcore powers!” Yamia quietly gasped.  
“So, what should we do now?”  
“We can’t let anyone know of our powers. Let’s go to my apartment. Now.” I said.

—

After around ten minutes of walking from the shopping district to the residential district, we quickly arrived at the apartment building where my family and I lived in. I opened the door to the apartment room, entering it with Yamia and Taylor following suit.

“Don’t worry, my Mom and Dad are working. Ren and Indigo are also at a school gathering.” I told. “So, first of all. We got Nightcore powers!”  
“I know!” Yamia replied. “Also, a lot of reports on the urban legend say, that listening to music we like can make our powers stronger.”  
“Well, we all like Future Stars.” Taylor said.  
“And they’re performing in Rytem tonight.” I added.  
“Then it’s settled. Since we got the tickets, we’re gonna watch them.”


	8. 7

Mitch’s POV

When it was finally evening; Yamia, Taylor, and I went to the place where the concert was going to start, the Musicia Auditorium, a place in the city where most concerts there are held. We quickly ran to the entrance.   
While we made our way there, I heard a few crowds talking about the concert; like us, they’re probably excited for the concert. We entered the hall, with our tickets approved by the security guard.  
Inside the hall, everything was still dark, and almost all of the seats haven’t had people sitting there. I tried to find our seats, walking around, while looking at our tickets. After a few minutes of looking around; the lights went on, and I found our seats, but someone was missing. 

“Hey, where’d Taylor go?” I asked.

Taylor’s POV

As I was trying to look for my seat, I looked in front of me, and noticed something — Mitch and Yamia weren’t with me. I just thought that they’re looking around, and I decided to wait for them. Sitting down on a random seat, I was suddenly interrupted by a loud voice.

“Hey! That’s my seat!”

Quickly, I looked in front of me; and saw a teen boy, with an annoyed expression, looking at me. He had messy green hair and brown eyes, wearing a black T-shirt and grey trousers. Beside him was another guy; with orange hair, blue eyes, wearing a hoodie with overalls, and a beanie. They looked at me angrily.

“Sorry, I didn’t know it was yours!” I apologized. “I was just waiting for my friends.”  
“That’s no excuse. You’re just a random freeloader!” the green-haired boy shouted.  
“Woah, chill out. I said I was just waiting here.”  
All of a sudden, he punched me. “You’re lying!”  
“Gary, we shouldn’t mess with this guy. He’s just a poor boy! He’s Taylor Tyler, the son of our science teacher!” said the boy with orange hair.  
“Whatever! So, you’re gonna go ahead and fight me? Or you’re gonna run crying to your dad?”  
“Shut up!” I snapped, my cheeks red-hot, aiming a punch at his chest.  
Unexpectedly, he shot back, charging at me with a chartreuse glow radiating from his hand — he was a wielder of the Nightcore.“Well, turns out you’re gonna come home crying!”

Slowly, and shakily, I stood up as the two strangers glared at me. With tears in my eyes, I charged up my powers, a teal light glowing from my hands.

“Well, nerdboy. Just admit your defeat, and I’ll let you go. Not! So, do you want more?” the green-haired one taunted.

With all my heart, I aimed at them, with sparks of teal light hitting them, bringing them to the ground. I shot the beams of light towards them, the conflicting feelings in my head just becoming more unclear.

“Okay! Stop!” the orange-haired boy shouted, standing up.  
“He has powers too?” the green-haired boy gasped. “Whatever! Don’t mess with us anymore, got it?”

Facing away from them as they walked away, I looked at my hands. Scratches and bruises littered them. Not wanting Mitch or Yamia to worry, I hastily wiped my hands on my hoodie.

“Taylor! We were looking for you!” a girl’s voice suddenly rang. It was Mitch, who was in front of me; along with Yamia.  
“What happened?” Yamia asked.  
“Nothing. Just got kinda lost, that is.” I lied. “Anyway, where’s our seats?”  
“There!” Mitch said, pointing to the three seats placed left from the ones that the mysterious strangers claimed to have.  
“Alright.”

We sat down, waiting for the show to start. All of a sudden, the lights quickly shut off one by one, leaving the audience in the darkness. But not until a set of colorful neon lights, in pink and purple, flickered on; along with pillars of light smoke rising from the stage. It was time.

“Everyone! For the first time in the Stardust Isles, the hit techno idol group from Japan! Future…STARS!” an announcer exclaimed.  
“Whoo! Uta Minami!” I exclaimed happily.  
“Go Future Stars!” Yamia and Mitch shouted.

With another flow of pastel pink smoke, techno music played, which was one of Future Stars’ hit singles. Applause and cheers erupted all around the hall, with Mitch, Yamia, and I excitedly cheering. As the smoke faded away, seven figures appeared on stage. They were Uta Minami and her fellow idols, standing in a line. More cheering sounded from the audience.

“We’re gonna get autographs from them after the show.” Mitch said.  
I kept on cheering to them. “Go! Uta! Go!”  
“Let's sing with them too!”

Uta walked up to the front of the stage, as she smiled and waved towards the audience.

“Hello Stardust Isles!” she greeted. “It’s so nice to meet you! First up, we’re singing our hit song…Futurix!”

Not a second after that, the audience cheered again, as the instrumental of the song started. Suddenly, pink and purple lights flashed to life all over the audience area. Lightsticks were being activated. Quickly, I raised up my lightstick, with Mitch and Yamia doing so too.

As Uta and the other Future Stars idols sang as well as danced, the audience — including Mitch, Yamia, and I — sang along to the song. I even saw a group of fans say their fan cheer, as well as a bunch of other fans shouting in amazement.

After two minutes or so, with the Future Stars finished singing their first song; a loud sound, sounding like a gunshot, rang throughout the hall. All of a sudden, Uta came down falling on the stage’s floor, as if she was struck with a bullet.   
We were shocked. In less than a second, the rest of the people in the audience freaked out. Some of them hid behind the chairs, and most of them ran. Mitch, Yamia, and I hid behind the chairs in front of us.

One by one, the other idols went down as well, electrical sparks rising out of them as they deactivated.  
By then, most of the people started to evacuate the concert hall, as the stage and everything else was falling apart. There were only very few people left in the hall; us and a few teens our age, and we saw the android Future Stars tragically broken.

“Uta? UTA!” Mitch cried, running out to the stage  
“Mitch! Wait!”

Mitch’s POV

I arrived on the stage, and it was in shambles. The neon lights that once decorated the stage were now shattered, and the big screens turned off. Six of the members were on the floor, deactivated and broken down.  
My friends were calling out my name, but I didn’t answer. It was over. I wanted to see the singers that inspired me back when I was younger, but now they were gone. Gone forever, and my dreams were crushed. With my eyes burning from the tears of shock, I ran up to Uta.

Lying on the middle of the stage was Uta, who was in the worst condition. Electrical sparks went up from her, and she was shaking. Her visor, a part of her idol outfit, was broken, revealing her purple eyes that she almost closed. She was slowly dying.

“Uta! Are you okay? Say something to me! I’m your biggest fan, Mitch Mangonia!” I cried, kneeling down in front of her.  
“Sorry, it's over…Everything is over…” Uta whispered, her voice slightly flickering.  
“No, stay alive! I want to sing with you!”  
“Mitch, I can’t. I’m just a robot. I know that being an idol is a hard thing to do. I really know that you’re a true fan of me. Like with all of my fans, I know that they have the potential to be shining stars. But it’s over for me…and for my group, the Future Stars.”  
I kept on crying, “Uta!”  
“I'm sorry, I’ve reached the end. I can’t continue. But you can. You’re a true idol. You have the heart and determination to reach your dreams. You can be the next idol to inspire and bring happiness to the world.”

With her remaining strength, she got the ribbon from her hair and gave it to me. It was one of her iconic accessories, and she gave it to an ordinary fan — me.

“Mitch, if you want to be an idol, you must believe in yourself, and trust your friends. Don’t worry about me…It’s your turn to be the true idols now… and become the best…”

As soon as she said that, Uta’s eyes went blank, and she went still. The feelings of sadness washed over me, as I cried and tried to wake her up. “UTA! UTA! UTA!”  
I heard footsteps behind me. Looking back, I saw Yamia and Taylor, worried expressions on their faces. Yamia held my hand, and the three of us walked towards the seats. I sat down, with my hands on my head, tears falling down.

“Mitch! Are you okay?” Taylor asked.  
“No!” I sobbed. “I can’t calm down. Uta is dead. She’s dead!”  
“Mitch, calm down, please. Calm down.”  
“I can’t do it! I’m not the best yet!” I shouted. “Taylor, being an idol is hard, she said. I’m scared!”  
“Mitch! Listen to me. I’ve seen you on that singing contest back then, before we met. I saw you on TV. You‘re really good! And I believe in you, that you can become a great singer.”  
“I agree with Taylor.” Yamia said. “I’ve only been friends with you for a day, but I think you’re a really nice and talented person. You can do it!”  
“Really?” I replied, wiping my tears away.  
“Yep! And we’ll always be here for you.”  
“Thanks, both of you.” I smiled, thankfully.

—

A few minutes later, after I calmed down, Taylor tied my hair using Uta’s bow that she gave to me before she sadly deactivated. 

“You know, you’re cute when you’re using this bow. It’s like you’re the new successor of Uta.” he complimented.  
“Aww, thanks.” I replied, blushing. “Anyway, how did you know how to style my hair?”  
“My Mom works as a hairdresser. She’s taught me how to take care of myself.”  
“That’s cool.”

Suddenly, we both looked at each other somewhat awkwardly. Taylor smiled a bit.

“What’s wrong with my face?” he laughed.  
“Heheh, nothing.”


	9. 8

Cloud’s POV

After the school nurse arrived and Amanda was taken care of that afternoon; the following evening, I decided to go to the shopping district, which was near our school; with Stormi, Elena, Kass, and Jay.

“So, Cloud. Are you dating Elena?” Stormi smiles.  
“Well, for starters, I’m not. We just met.” I replied.  
“Ah, I see. By the way, do you know Heidi? She’s from 2A and she’s an expert gymnast. I think she kinda likes you.”  
“Guys, so where are we gonna eat? I’m hungry.” Kass said to us.  
“Why not at that burger place?” Elena replied, pointing at a nearby restaurant.

The five of us entered the restaurant, which had a lot of people there, and we ordered our food. We decided to sit down and chat, as we waited for our orders. After a few minutes or so, we got our orders, which were five cheeseburgers, five colas, and a medium bag of french fries.  
All of a sudden, a bunch of people ran out of the restaurant, as a loud sound was heard. Only the five of us were left.

“What happened?” I asked worriedly, standing up and walking towards the door. “Should I go out to see what’s going on?”  
“No!” Stormi shouted, grabbing my hand.  
“Yeah, I’ve gotta agree with her. There might be a killer on the loose!” Jay added.  
“Alright.”

As I sat back down, there was something on the restaurant’s TV; it was the breaking news.

“Breaking News. The worldwide robot idol sensation from Japan, the Future Stars, were found shot to deactivation during their first live concert at the prestigious Musicia Hall of Rytem at around seven PM.  
“The attack was believed to be planned by an anti- fan of the group, but the ammunition shot at the androids are identified to not seem to come from any known weapon manufacturer.   
“The Future Stars were developed in Zouberg, Stardust Isles. These androids were made through years of research and development by a dedicated team of scientists employed at Miraisuta Group, a known technology-focused company.   
“Doctor Linnaeus Kleizt, the director of the Future Stars project, has denied being involved in this evening’s events. Further investigation will be undertaken as soon as possible, according to Sergeant Deacon of the Rytem Police Department.”

I gasped. My other friends followed suit, with Jay dropping the cup of cola he had, towards the floor.

“Man, this is terrible! Who’s gonna make really good songs now?” Jay commented. “They’re dead!”  
“I think they got shot by a crazy fan.” I inquired.  
“Is it really true, that they got killed by a sasaeng?” Elena asked.  
“There’s no evidence yet, Elena. The police is gonna start investigating the whole thing probably tomorrow, and I’m sure they’ll get to the case quick. Besides, maybe some good fans can help.” Kass replied.  
“All we gotta do is hope for the best to happen.” I sighed.

Gary’s POV

I slowly opened my eyes, having fallen asleep before the concert started. Most of the hall was empty; and I saw Uta lying almost dead, broken, on the stage. With that, I also saw an orange-haired girl sadly walking away from the stage, accompanied by a blonde-haired girl and…Taylor Tyler?!

“NO, NOT MY HOSHI! NOT MY AOI!” Trexe cries out.  
“What the hell just happened there?!” I shouted. “Why’d someone do this?”

I ran up to Taylor and the two girls, with Trexe following suit while he sobbed about his idols.

“Hey, I’m sorry for trying to beat you up and all that, but what just happened there?!” I asked Taylor.  
“Okay, okay. Apology accepted. I don’t know who or what shot at Uta and the other idols as well! Like, it just happened all of a sudden!” Taylor replied, with a sudden teal light coming out of his hands.  
“Wait. Wait. Are you a Nightcore power wielder?”  
“You too?! I saw you using your powers while you fought me last time. I knew it!”  
“Well,” the orange-haired girl chimed in, “Yamia, Taylor, and I happen to have that power too! Anyway, what’s you guys’ name?”  
“Gary Hill.” I said.  
“I’m Trexe Darius.” Trexe introduced.  
“Nice to meet you guys! I’m Mitch Mangonia.” the orange-haired girl replied.  
“Yamia Fosteryard here!” Yamia said.  
“Well, you already know who the heck I am.” Taylor calmly replied. “So, the five of us here all have Nightcore powers. How did you get yours; Gary, Trexe?”  
“We were just at the arcade this noon when I heard this weird thing. It sounded like a song. Next thing I know, I saw this green light. Trexe said he saw a peach one.”  
“I got mine when I was preparing for the morning.” Mitch replied.  
“Meanwhile, I got mine when I was just at home and then that sound came along.” Yamia said.  
“I was listening to some songs on a CD I found inside a weird box I got last night.” Taylor added.

After he said that, there was a moment of awkward silence, until Mitch said something to break it.

“Now that we’ve all at least known each other, what are we gonna do?” Mitch inquired.  
“I’d say we stick together for now.”

Bella’s POV

That evening, at a small concert hall located in the fancier part of town, we performed a setlist of classic jazz songs, as we were hired the day before to provide music for a wedding. However, as we started to play our ninth song, the MC of the event abruptly told us to stop our number.

“Hey, why’d you stop their music?” the bride complained.  
“I know, right! We were just getting to my favorite song!” Onris added.

A wave of murmurs fell upon the attendees of the wedding, as well as the waiters. 

“So, um, yeah. We just got a call. Y’all know that robot group Future Stars? They got shot dead. And to prevent anyone else from getting harmed, the manager said to stop playing live in public for the time being. I apologize for the sudden news.” the MC said, a country accent in his voice.

Suddenly, there were gasps of fear from the audience. On the stage, I felt anxious as well.

“JazzCore Xperience will have to be dismissed from this event. Again, thank you for hiring them, and I apologize for this abrupt notice.” the MC added.  
“We’ll have to leave? But we haven’t even played half of our setlist!” I shouted.  
“Sorry, the protocol calls for your dismissal.”  
“Alright.” I gasped, standing up. “Fortesa, Onris, let’s go.”

We packed up our instruments, and made our way outside, where the utility van was waiting for us and our instruments. I tearfully frowned as I left the building, and went into the van with Fortesa and Onris. While the car drove to our boarding house, I talked together with my friends.

“I feel so bad for Future Stars. They were the top band on this month’s charts. Herr M also tweeted his condolences.” inquired Fortesa, showing me some social media posts on her phone.

Herr M [@ HerrMOfficial]  
I’ve heard that we lost the Future Stars this evening. Your awesomeness will live on. xx Herr M.  
— 8:30 PM; from Zoukaheim, Stardust Isles

“I miss them. I hope any other bands won’t get into a tragedy like this one.” Onris said.

Once we were at the boarding house, I made my way to my room, feeling worried. Who tried to take down the Future Stars? Fortesa went into the room as well, as did Onris. He saw me looking anxious.

“Bella, what’s wrong?” Onris asked, concernedly.  
“I’m really worried about the Future Stars. I just...I’ve been a fan of them for a while now, and now they’re gone. They kinda inspire me.” I cried, as I heard a strange song, and a blue spark of light briefly appeared in my vision, then faded away. “Wait, what was that?”  
“What was what?”  
“Um, nothing.”

3rd Person POV

At the twentieth floor of the prestigious Evergreen Tower, Thomas Evergreen drank wine in his penthouse office, as the other people in the building were at an office party celebrating a coworker’s birthday at the fifteenth floor. As Evergreen enjoyed his moment of silence, sipping his tall glass of wine, the sudden ringing of his phone interrupted it. He quickly answered it.

“Hello?” Evergreen inquired.  
“Sir Evergreen, I have been informed that my robot children are dead.” the voice on the other side worriedly informed.  
“Doctor Kleizt! What happened?”  
“They have been shot. My scientists were called in to identify the ammunition used, but they reported that said bullets had not been manufactured by any known manufacturer. The Future Stars are gone! All gone!. Uta was one of them. She is my precious star. I am beyond devastated! How about you?”  
Thomas pondered to himself for a while about the day’s events, and replied. “It’s been a long day. My daughter, Jacqueline wanted to join a band, as she loved music very much, but I told her to stop. She sneaked out to a place where she befriended a bunch of amateurs. I saw her there, and I reprimanded her and sent her home.   
“There, I tried to seriously talk to her; but then, I was hit by a mysterious force. When I regained consciousness, it turned out that she had locked herself in her room.”  
“I see.” Kleizt answered. “Well then, I must go. Sergeant Plant and the whole Rytem police force is here.”  
“Goodbye.” Evergreen said, ending the phone call.

Sighing, he stood up and exited his office, heading into the lift. There, he thought about Jacqueline; and how he acted abrasive to her. But those thoughts faded away, as he went out of the lift and the building, as a luxurious limo waited for him. He entered the car, and it drove off from the building, stopping at his mansion a few minutes later.

Once he was at his mansion, Evergreen noticed something.   
He had the house’s master keys in his coat pocket.  
Quickly, he walked upstairs, as Butterscotch followed him. He was in front of Jacqueline’s room’s door; slowly, he unlocked it, opening the door with a creak.   
There was no Jacqueline to be seen there, but one of the large windows were open wide. Glancing at the bedside table, he found a letter there. Taking it, he read the handwritten note.

Dear Father,

I’ve decided to leave this house, because you keep trying to ruin my dreams. I want to be like Mom, a professional singer and a star. Today, I want to break free. I am very sorry.

Your Daughter, Jacqueline.

As he finished reading the letter, tears welled in Evergreen’s eyes, and he fell on his knees crying, dropping the letter to the ground.


	10. 9

Rhiannon’s POV

That night, my sister and I visited the school clinic to keep an eye on Amanda, who fainted right after the victory celebration ended. I heard from Jay that she had to stay overnight there. On the way, we stopped at our dorms to get some snacks we had, which the both of us would give to Amanda.

After a few minutes of walking down the stairs to the second floor, we entered the room where Amanda was admitted to, and I saw her lying still on the hospital bed. I put the snacks on the table near her bed. While I was doing so, I saw Rhea trying to wake her up.

“Rhea, don’t do that. She needs some rest.” I reprimanded.

Sitting down on the sofa near the window, I saw a TV remote on the seat, and again saw that there was a TV near us. I turned the television on, and the channel was on Voxa, the number one music channel in the Isles. Displayed on the screen were two people, who were both in a talkshow room, with both of them sitting on a simple, dark blue couch. One of them was a girl with curly rose pink hair, tanned skin, and a casual outfit; and the other was a guy with neon orange hair, who wore a hoodie and jeans.

“I’m Tom Fast.” the guy said.  
“I’m Maika Eivon.” the girl said. “And welcome to the Night Club, the number one source for music talks right here in the Isles!”  
“So, let’s get to the point. Today’s biggest breaking news just happened nearly hours ago.” Tom inquired. “It’s the Future Stars incident.”  
“As you know, they were unfortunately shot just a few hours ago. We offer our sincere condolences to the Idol Project, their managing team.”  
“After this tragic event, who will replace them as the most popular music group here?”  
“Herr M? Nah, he’s kinda old. How about Egvan?”  
“They’re R&B, not techno!”

As the announcers on TV kept talking about the recent happenings, I averted my eyes from the screen and took a quick glance at Amanda, who seemed to started to wake up. As she slowly opened her eyes, I gently shook her awake.

“Hey, Amanda, are you okay?” I concernedly asked her.  
“Where am I? What happened?” she said, weakly.  
“You fainted somehow! The nurse said that you’ll have to stay here for a little while.” Rhea replied. “She texted us that you’ll have to be here for at least two days.”  
“Two days?!” Amanda gasped. “My dad’s arriving home from America tomorrow!”  
“Don’t worry. The nurse told him about all this. He’ll visit the hospital soon, together with your Aunt Josie.”  
“I don’t care! I just wanna get out of here!”

Amanda got up from the bed, and she tried to open the door. “Where’s the nurse? I have to talk to her!”   
I used my powers towards her, pulling her back towards the room. Rhea followed suit, pulling her back as well. “Nope! You gotta stay right here!”

The two of us had just revealed our powers to Amanda, Mine was maroon, while Rhea’s was violet pink. I was shocked just after that, as we did unleash them in front of the person who’s currently known to be an infamous serial gossipper throughout the school. 

“What?! What was that?”  
“So, yeah. Basically, we got powers from music. You weren’t supposed to see that, but you just did, so…we’ll leave the rumor-spreading up to you.”  
“I can’t believe it!” Amanda gasped. “Wait, what’s that?!”  
“What was what?”  
“I just saw an indigo glow appear…”

Mitch’s POV

It was already late at night, but there were still a lot of shops and restaurants that were open, with all the neon lights still up and running. Yamia told me it was a normal thing in this city, since Rytem was said to be one of the most populated and active cities in the world.

“We’ve been walking for like, ten minutes and there’s no good restaurant!” Trexe complained.  
“And how are we gonna find a place to stay? I mean, if we go home, we’ll be grounded or something.” Taylor added.  
“Let’s find someplace to eat first.” Yamia inquired.  
“Okay!” I agreed.

While we were walking, I saw a hoodie-wearing girl, who ran opposite of our direction, passing by our group, surprising most of the boys and making them fall down. I tried to call out towards her. “Hey! What gives?!”  
“Excuse me!?” the girl said, turning around to our direction and taking off her hood. She looked beautiful, with forest green hair in a braid. Aside from the hoodie, she wore a white blouse, grey slacks, and brown loafers. “I’m in a hurry! I need to go somewhere else, Father hates me! And now some random weirdos decide to hate on me too!”

All of a sudden, she blasted a green light from her hands, which hit me square in the chest, causing me to topple down. I attempted to attack her back with powers of my own, forming a bow and arrow of orange light and shot the arrow at her. 

“Mitch, no!” shouted Yamia.

The mysterious girl was knocked down to the ground by my attack, but was left unscathed. She dealt another attack at me, again making me fall down. With my remaining energy, I slowly stood up, my hands up in the air.

“Okay, time out!” I declared. “Why the heck would you just attack me like that?!”  
“You people hate me!” she cried.  
“Wait. Nope, nope, nope. This was all a misunderstanding. And if I did do anything wrong, I’m sorry. I was just surprised.” I rushed. “Now that you’ve shown us, turns out you’re a Nightcore wielder, like us. We’ve got powers from music.”  
“Oh, I see…” the girl said. “I apologize as well. Anyway, I’m Jacqueline Evergreen. Pleased to meet you, although our first meeting wasn’t that pleasant.”  
“I’m Michelle Mangonia. Mitch, for short.” I introduced. “So, not to be overly personal or anything, but why are you running away from your dad again?”  
“I’m the daughter of Thomas Evergreen, that millionaire who owns the Evergreen Tower. He despises music.”  
“Where’s your mom?”  
“She passed away a long time ago. She was a musician, and because of her death, my Father began to hate music.” Jacqueline told. “Anyway, because I’m running away from home, and I have powers, may I join you guys on your adventure?”  
“Well, absolutely!”  
“Really? Thank you!” She happily said, hugging me tight.  
“Anyway, where should we go now?”  
“Oh! I know a place. Just follow me.”


	11. 10

Cloud’s POV

After the panic died down, my group went out of the restaurant, and we all walked towards the suburbs together, as our homes were in the same neighborhood.

“Man, I’m so tired of walking.” I complained. “Are there any buses or taxis or something?!”  
“It’s late night, and there’s no buses at this time of night.” sighed Kass while looking at her phone. “But there’s a quick shortcut. Follow me.”  
“Got it. Everyone, follow Kass.” I said, as we all walked towards a place that looked like a narrow clearing, which had layers of fog covering the area. “This is terrible. Everyone, mind turning on the flashlights on your phones?”  
“Alright.” Elena said, as she activated her phone’s flashlight, and the others in the group followed suit.

All of a sudden, I saw a mysterious shadow just in the corner of my eye. Looking at the other people, I whispered to them that there was something near us. When I looked back, there was no suspicious figure to be seen, even faintly. There was nobody else but us and the group -- and then, it dawned on me that someone was missing. Stormi.

“What is this, some kind of joke?” asked Kass.  
“Maybe the guards are coming. They’re gonna catch us, probably because of the curfew.” Elena whispered.  
“Wait, there’s something wrong here. Stop walking for a bit.” I said.  
“Why?”  
“Stormi’s missing!” I blurted out.

With that, all of us panicked, trying to look for her nearby. My heart going faster than usual, I attempted to look for her, walking nearby towards the end of the clearing, calling out her name. I realized that this wasn’t effective at all; I took out my phone and dialled her number. As soon as I did, the usual prompt said ‘ringing’ instead of ‘calling’; which meant she was using the phone, but not answering my phone call. That meant she was with other people, which I hoped had good intentions.  
For now, I wanted to focus on getting rest at this extremely late hour. I went up to the group, who were still looking for Stormi, and told them about my plan to go somewhere and rest; and the next morning we could look for her.

“How about we just find like, a hotel or something? Then, tomorrow, we could look for Stormi. I mean, I’m pretty sure we’re gonna have to take a rest first. And it’s really late out here.”  
“We’re literally in the middle of a forest, Cloud. What, we’re gonna camp out here?” Kass retorted.  
“Come on, we really need a car, or a bus, or whatever the heck that’s a vehicle!”  
“Or, a house.” I inquired.  
“A house?!”

We were at the end of the clearing, and nearly in the more quiet parts of the city, with only a few medium-height buildings. Not so far from there was a moderate apartment. I pointed at it.

“Yeah, we could stay there.”

Bella’s POV

I was jolted awake for some reason, and I looked around my room, as branches from the tree nearby knocked on one of the room’s windows. All of a sudden, I heard something, some kind of strange loud knocking coming from outside. Quietly, I went down the stairs towards the lobby, to see what was going on. 

As I reached the lobby, the whole room was dark, with most of the lights off as I kept on walking towards the main door. Outside, from the transparent glass door and the windows, dried leaves swayed in the windy sky. Looking back inside, the knocking sounds appeared in earshot again, and I stayed alert.  
Trying to quietly sprint, and not looking where I went, I suddenly stepped on something; looking down, it turned out to be someone’s foot, and I heard a loud scream. Glancing in front of me, I saw a guy with a jersey shirt, black jacket, and trousers. Startled, I nearly fell down to the floor as he stared back at me.

“Ah! A ghost!” He shouted, and tried to blast me with a spark of light; I dodged it just in time.  
“No, I’m not a ghost! I live in this apartment!” I replied, falling down to the floor again. “I’m sorry, I went down to this lobby, because there was a loud noise. What happened?”  
“It’s a long story.” the boy said. “So, my group went home quickly, after we sent our friend to the school clinic after a basketball match. Then, when we were hanging out in town, I heard that there was a tragedy that happened in the Future Stars concert. So, we tried to head home, but it took too long. One of my friends said we could take a shortcut, which lead to this side of town, but we’re completely lost, so yeah. Also, my sister’s missing. This is one of the places that I first saw, so we decided to try to stay here for the night.”  
“Of course you can! I still have a few spare beds. And anyway, this is a boarding house. But that’s unimportant.” I said. “Anyway, I’m Bellamina Beethoven.”  
“My name’s Cloud Wytte. Wait, are you a direct descendant of the actual Beethoven?”  
“Nah. It’s just a stage name. Also, getting back on topic here, where are your other friends?”  
“Here.”

I looked back, and there were four other people sitting on the couches in the lobby. Two of them wore cheerleader outfits, while the other one of them wore the same basketball jersey and pants as Cloud.

“So, who are you people?” I asked.  
“Jay Ford, the other boy here; along with the cheerleaders, Kass Zavre and Elena Garrett.” the other boy introduced.  
“Nice to meet you! And yeah, it’s late night, and I can’t keep you all waiting. Follow me.”

Cloud’s POV

After Bella invited us into her block, which consisted of three rooms — one hers, and two vacant ones that she said belonged to her former bandmates — my group and I set down our things and started getting ready for the night. Kass and Elena picked one of the vacant rooms, while Jay and I stayed in the last one.  
After I took a shower and changed my dirty clothes to new ones, I visited Bella’s room, where she was making dinner. The smell of aromatic spices drifted in the air, making me hungry.

“Oh hey, didn’t see you there.” Bella greeted. “I was just making some pesto pasta. What are you doing here?”  
“I’m just kinda bored. Jay’s fast asleep.” I replied. “I wanna ask you something too.”  
“Sure, what is it?”  
“Do you know about the Nightcore?”  
“The whole thing about the urban legend? I know more details about it that most people don’t know. Read up a few articles this evening.”  
“So where did it come from?”  
“It all started from the archaeology dig a few months ago. On the outskirts of the southern region, they found some arcane items in the dig. The find consisted of initially untranslatable hieroglyphs, pictograms, and even tapestries; all of which were presumed to be from three thousand years ago. The tapestries in the find depicted some figures that were suspected to be goddesses of some kind.   
“After a few other weeks of further research, and a bunch of experts have finally understood most of the language; turns out that the items in the find recorded the ventures of a mysterious group of individuals, who were blessed with powers from the music they created; they were called the Muses.   
“The power’s name translated to something like Nightcore. In a turn of events following the coronation of a tyrant, the group of people perished, with any trace of their bodies nowhere to be seen. The historical records unearthed in the find also stated that the group were considered as living goddesses in their time.”  
“I see. But who are they, really?”  
“I don’t really know about that. Well, except for two. Notta, the Muse of Music, the first one to possess the power, and also the leader of the group. Luna, the Muse of Moon, on the other hand, was the scholar of the group.”  
“So, how did the whole thing become some kind of urban legend?”  
“Well, the dig was reported by several news sites. Then, after the translation process was announced, a bunch of conspiracy theorists got hold of the info, and spread an urban legend that there were Nightcore powers on the loose. They were wrong about a lot of the details, though.”  
“Do you have Nightcore powers?”  
“Actually, yeah!” Bella replied, generating a blue light from her hands. “How about you?”  
“I mean, I have it too. But I haven’t really used it for anything.” I said. “It’s getting super late. I should go to sleep by now.”  
“Well then, me too. I mean, after I eat dinner. Night!” Bella replied.

In my room, I plopped into the bed, looking at the left of me, and I saw Jay already snoozing quietly. Thanks to Bella, I learnt about the lore of Nightcore powers, and their origins. All of a sudden, my thoughts shifted to trying to find Stormi first. Trying to shake off my worries, I tried to go to sleep; and quickly drifted into unconsciousness.

—

The next morning, the whole group gathered in the restaurant in the lobby, accompanied by Bella and two others — Fortesa and Onris, who introduced themselves as Bella’s fellow band members. We had small talk on what we’re going to do next, along with breakfast.

“Alright, how about we go to Irona? It’s my hometown. Maybe Stormi went there to go home.” I said.  
“Yeah, we can go there. It’s not far from here, in fact. There’s a shortcut, a road that leads there, but vehicles can’t pass, because it’s fairly narrow.” Bella inquired.  
“Well, lucky for us, we don’t have any cars. So we can just safely walk there!”  
“Bella, would you like to join us?” I asked Bella.  
“Sure! I mean, I could perform there!”  
“Us too!” Fortesa and Onris chimed in as well.

As the others went into their rooms to prepare their bags, I did so too. After an hour of so of getting ready, all of us carried our bags, and our group went out of the apartment, into the clearing and deep into the forest, where there was a clear dirt path, which turned out to be stable. An hour in, it was afternoon; and I walked with the rest of the group.  
I looked around, with only numerous trees in sight. Sunlight fell in between the leaves, and small spots of light illuminated the ground. Glancing around the landscape again, I saw a silhouette of…a girl?! That must be Stormi.  
Sprinting to where I thought the sound came from, it turned out it wasn’t Stormi at all.  
It was something else. Looking like it had been made out of pure shadow in the rough shape of a girl, it lunged at me, catapulting me to the ground. While still on the ground, I backed away slowly, my head softly hitting a large tree.

All of a sudden, from the other side of the tree, a girl’s voice whispered. “OVER HERE!”

In reply, I rushed quietly to the back of the tree. Turns out, there were three girls; one with orange hair, the other ones with yellow hair and green hair respectively. We all ran away from the spot where the shadow being was, and as the strangers and I escaped, I took a glimpse of a faint grey light passing through the trees, which suddenly hit me.   
“Are you okay?” the yellow-haired girl asked, as we stopped at a small clearing where a group of other people were.  
“I’m alright.” I replied.

In the clearing were people I knew — Bella, Kass, Elena, Jay, Fortesa, and Onris — and several other strangers I’ve never really seen before. The reunion was halted quickly, though, as the shadow being, now ten feet tall; along with a group of other smaller shadow people — closed in on us.

Bella hastily took out something from her bag, a keytar. “Alright, the myth says that if a person who has powers plays music while using their powers, it’ll get stronger. So I’ll test it out for you guys!” 

A blast of dull grey flew at her, but Bella dodged it with ease. She leaped at the largest shadow being, and started playing the keytar. Putting her fingers on the keys, Bella played a song with it, and azure light radiated from her hands and by extension the keytar, and blasted it towards the shadow being. As soon as it hit the thing, the being collapsed into smoke, and a wave of power reverberated, hitting the trees and throwing one of the strangers to the ground. 

“Yamia? Are you okay?” asked the orange-haired girl.   
“Sorry. It seems like my amplified powers were too strong!” Bella replied.

Seeing the leader of the shadow beings perish, the other, smaller shadow beings began to gain in on all of us. At once, my group, as well as the strangers, charged at the beings, and they tried to fight the shadows off with their own powers; each of them different, and bright, colors. I formed a sword out of the gold light that were my powers, and lunged at the beings, mowing them down, but one of them kicked me back, launching me to the ground. Bella, however, was the star of the show, as she had her musical instruments with her, making her powers stronger.

Ten minutes or so passed, and the fight was done; with all of the shadow beings gone, all of us relaxed in the small clearing. As I looked around, I saw the people in the vicinity — my group, along with Bella’s band; the group lead by the orange-haired girl, consisting of the yellow-haired girl and the green-haired one, along with a teal-haired boy and two punk-looking boys. They all looked a bit tired.

“Thanks for saving our butts there.” the orange-haired girl said, wiping sweat off her brow.  
“No problem! I mean, you saved ours too. And we’ve all got powers.” Bella replied.  
“Wait! Nightcore powers?”  
“Indeed.”  
“That’s great!” the girl exclaimed. “Anyway, I’ve gotta introduce myself. I’m Michelle Magnolia, but just call me Mitch.”  
“Nice to meet you! I’m Bella, the leader of JazzCore Xperience. Right now, I’m traveling with my band members Fortesa and Onris, along with Cloud’s group.”  
“I’m Cloud White.” I introduced myself. “These are Kass, Elena, and Jay.”  
“Hey, I’m Yamia! Nice to meet you! I hope we share the same music taste; I like EDM and dubstep, by the way.” the yellow-haired girl chimed in.  
“Sorry, that’s not my kind of thing. I prefer more subdued music. Herr M, That K, that old band with the bowl cut people, and a handful of classical music.” Bella replied.  
“Ah, I see. That’s okay though! We can still be friends!” Yamia said, as Bella simply smiled.  
“Anyway, where should we go?” Mitch inquired. “Jacqueline, the green-haired one, planned for us to go to her dad’s mansion, but turns out the roads are closed. And we took a detour here.”  
“Why not Irona? I’m also looking for my sister Stormi there.” I commented. “Irona’s my hometown, and my parents have got a huge house there. It’s not too far from here, Bella said.”  
“Well then, off to Irona!” Bella exclaimed.


	12. 11

Mitch’s POV

The whole group made our way towards the town that Cloud said we were going to, which was named Irona. We all walked on a wide, flat dirt path that snaked from the forest my group and I took a turn to, into a cleared-out field that had a few trees, then finally into a small, idyllic field that had numerous small buildings every now and then near it town. The small road stopped at the side of a paved road, and I saw the landscape in front of me.   
A bright blue afternoon sky, with fluffy clouds in it, and a vast landscape dotted with houses, and other small buildings, and the obvious paved road, with occasional small cars that passed by.

“This is it. Irona!” Cloud exclaimed, raising his hands up.  
“What a beautiful town!” Yamia said, eating a sandwich she got from her backpack.

Just after she said that, I heard a faint scream coming from nearby, followed by a flock of birds flying away from what I assumed was the source of the loud shouting.

“Well, that’s an entrance!” I quipped.  
“Let’s just go, shall we?” Cloud said.

The rest of the group and I followed Cloud, and after a few minutes of walking, we all stopped at a large two-story house bigger than the other houses in the neighborhood. I heard a faint shouting from the second floor, turns out, this house is where the sound had came from. Cloud knocked on the door, and at the other side, there was a middle-aged woman with curly blonde hair and a simple grey outfit.

“Oh hi, Mom.” greeted Cloud.  
“Hello! Are those your friends, Cloud?” the woman asked.  
“Yeah.”  
“Well, that’s great! Looks like you’ve been a pretty popular kid, eh? Anyway, y’all, come in!”

The whole group and I went into the house. Once I was there, it turned out that it was bigger than my old house! Cloud’s family house was a simple yet comfortable place, with a polished wooden floor, cream-colored wallpaper, and sophisticated-looking wooden furniture. In the middle of the living room stood a grey sofa, and a large TV on the wall.

“Make yourselves at home. I’ve just prepared dinner!” Cloud’s mom said.

I sat on a chair facing the long dinner table, where the plates and utensils were all set tidily. The others sat down too, and a few minutes later Cloud’s mom set some dishes full of food, on the table. I scooped some spaghetti from one of the dishes, and put it on my plate. Not long after, other people started eating their dinner as well, while chatting with us.

“I think we’re gonna have to leave this town!” Cloud’s mom commented. “Our neighbour Yuran’s been screaming a lot nowadays. All day and night! I can't sleep because of her. Her parents are out of town for the whole month and they’ve leaved her in our care.”  
“Anyway, have you seen Stormi? She’s gone.” Cloud replied.  
“Nah. She’s probably out with her friends. I called her last night and she’s staying at a hotel. I can already trust her to be safe, anyway.”

All of a sudden, the unusual screaming continued, shocking me and possibly the rest of the people in the house.

“I am gettin’ FRUSTRATED!” cried out Yamia, as the others closed their ears. The glasses of water on the table shook.  
“Okay. We need to stop her now.” I retorted, slamming my hands on the table. “Where is she?”  
“Upstairs, in the guest bedroom. The first door on the left.” Cloud’s mom sighed.

While the rest of the group and Cloud’s family continued their small talk, I gathered up all my bravery and strength, and went up the stairs. I don’t want Cloud and his family, and the whole group too, to get disturbed by that mystery girl’s screaming. I needed to stop the noise.   
At the hallway upstairs, I saw that Cloud’s bedroom door was wide open. I peeked in, and saw a lot of trophies stored in a display case, all glittering silver and gold. 

Going out, I went to the first room on the left, which had a closed door. Again, and suddenly, I heard the loud scream of that girl, now much louder as I was near the source; and I knocked on the door loudly. The door swung open, with the presumed girl on the other side. She had long black hair and a simple white dress, and her face looked unkempt. Abruptly, she shouted. I freaked out, and fell to the floor. I used my powers to attack her, but she dodged them.  
I ran into the room to avoid her, but she gained on me, still screaming. I ran back into the spacious hallway, and as she screamed, I noticed that she had powers; a dark purple light radiated from her. I lit up my powers, an orange light coming from my hands, and aimed it at her. She was quickly knocked down to the floor, but got up again. 

As I aimed my attack at her, and she did so as well, our powers collided, and exploded in a small flash of light; catapulting the both of us to the floor. I tried to get up, but she kicked me down, and together the both of us fell down the stairs, causing a huge commotion.  
Downstairs, I saw that my friends and Cloud’s mom was still having dinner and watching TV. The rest of the people awkwardly looked at us, who had just tumbled down the stairs.

“Yuran and…” Cloud’s mom inquired.  
“Mitch Mangonia.” Cloud added.  
“Yuran and Mitch! What happened up there?”  
“Sorry, Miss. When I went up to the room to stop her, she tried to attack me! Now, everything’s fine. Kind of.”  
“No worries. And thank you for stopping the whole ruckus, even though you made some ruckus in turn as well. But let’s just forget that.”  
Yuran bit my finger, I screamed out. “Ow! What was that for?!”  
“Yuran! Don’t do that. She’s one of Cloud’s friends. Her name is Mitch.”  
“Sorry!” Yuran replied.

—

After things had calmed down, we continued the dinner. Cloud’s mom, Mrs. Wytte, brought meatloaf and mozzarella sticks, and Cloud told the whole group that was his favorite food. We ate together, while Yuran just sat quietly.

“Yuran, what’s wrong?” I asked her, going up to the girl.  
“Mitch, I’m so sorry.” she began to whisper.  
“That’s alright. Just don’t scream, it’s kind of annoying. Why’d you scream so loud?”  
“It’s all because of Jonathan! Jonathan Lerson! Some other girl dated him!”  
“So then, you hate that girl?”  
“Well, of course! She’s such a spoiled brat, that Amanda Rose. I don’t wanna see her face ever again.”  
“Calm down, Yuran. There’s plenty of other guys, like Taylor here, that teal-haired guy; or Gary, that other green-haired guy.”  
“Nope, I’m only interested in Jonathan. He’s the best guy I’ve ever met.”  
“Eh, you do you. That’s immature.” Yamia added.  
“That’s bold of you, Yamia, considering you too are immature.” Bella shot back.  
“Whatever.”

After we all ate dinner and took showers, the girls and I set our bags in the coat room downstairs; then, the whole group of girls, and Yuran, had a sleepover in the guest room, which Bella and I tidied up. Meanwhile, the boys were in Cloud’s room, having their own sleepover, but as I checked their room, they were fast asleep. I went back to the guest room, and saw the other girls chatting.

“Well, tomorrow’s gonna be a new day. We’re gonna continue our adventure.” Yamia said, sitting down on one of the beds.  
“Maybe we can find other people with powers.” Jacqueline added.  
“But first, we have to find out who took down the Future Stars. And become idols, as Uta said to me. She said that we can be their successors.” I inquired. As I laid down on my bed, I lookedto the left of me, and saw Yuran snoozing quietly.   
Standing up on the bed, Bella looked out to the window, which took about most of the wall, and saw the stars. “I miss my parents. I used to live in Italy. That was my home.”  
“So how did you get here?” I asked.  
“At first, I was on board, on a ship to the Grand Isles, where my parents signed me up for a music school. But unfortunately, the ship crashed halfway, and I was one of the few survivors there. On a smaller ship, the remaining people and I arrived on the nearby Stellar Isles, or what most of us informally call the Stardust Isles. It was a few years ago, when I was thirteen. My parents heard of the whole thing, did some paperwork, and signed me up to a school here instead. Then, I started a small band with Onris and Fortesa, and later two others.”  
“How are your parents?”  
“They’re alright, they call me sometimes. But I still miss my parents very much.” Bella said, crying a bit, and looking at the stars.  
“I remember the Future Stars. Uta said her last words to me: to be an idol with my friends, and succeed her, but I need to know the truth. I need to know who shot her down, and bring them to justice.”   
“What will you do?”  
I smiled at Bella, tears welling in my eyes too. “We’ll save the world.”


	13. 12

Mitch’s POV

The next day, after waking up the boys and packing up all our bags, the whole group decided to leave Irona, to continue our new journey towards stardom. 

“Thank you, Mrs. Wytte! We’ll find Stormi soon!” I thanked, shaking her hand.  
“You’re welcome. Take care of yourselves, okay! And Cloud, don’t get lost!” cried out Mrs. Wytte, who shed her tears as she waved goodbye. Yuran, on the other hand, was sad to see all of us go too.  
“Guys, I really want to join you guys on your adventure…” Yuran said, looking at me.  
“Sure! Why?” I replied.  
“I want to see Jonathan now, and I want to save him! Plus, I wanna be an idol too!”  
“Okay! Get your stuff, we’re gonna leave soon.”  
“REALLY?! THANK YOU!” Yuran exclaimed, as she hugged me tight, went up the stairs, and quickly went down with her bag. 

Once outside and all ready, we all said goodbye to Mrs. Wytte and the other citizens of Irona.  
As we left the town, we walked deeper into a forest that I’ve never seen before; which was heavily covered with trees, leaving almost no sunlight. At the darker end of the vast forest, there stood a huge cave, with an entrance much taller than any of us, and with no light at all. 

“This is Cave Zuma.” Cloud explained. “It’s a cave a bit far from Irona, that no one dares to go near, or even in, to. That’s because it’s believed there’s a monster there that’ll take anyone visiting it to another dimension!”

I activated the flashlight on my phone, and the light shone on the stone caves on the wall. There were inscriptions in an unknown language, carved into the stone. It was probably an ancient language that was around before any other language. Taylor took pictures of it on his phone.

“This is the same language that was on the items found in the archaeological dig in southern Mria!” Bella said, looking around.  
“Can we solve it right now? So we can know what it means?” Yamia asked.  
“Nope. None of us know the language; and if any of us do, and try to read it, maybe we’ll get cursed or something. Don’t wanna risk it.”  
Trexe commented back. “Eh, I dunno. Maybe the reason why they won’t go near it, is because there are ghosts!”  
“Well, Bella just said that there’s no ghosts in that cave!” Gary replied.  
The two guys ranted against each other, while the girls, Taylor, and I used our powers to navigate the unknown cave. All of a sudden, Taylor got shocked by something, and fell on the floor, but Bella quickly helped Taylor up, and all of us ran into the deeper parts of the cave.

As we ventured into the unknown place, and the path in the cave became darker and wider, I tried to turn on my phone to use the flashlight, but it ran out of batteries. I used my powers to light up the surroundings, and others did too. As all of us walked further, there were more inscriptions of the ancient language, along with some drawn pictures, and pictograms. Finally, we went down to the end of the cave, where the area was circular-shaped, and was wide. Some stalactite crystals hung down from the ceiling of the cave, sparkling and shimmering; as crystal clear drops splashed to the boulders on the stone ground.

“Mysterious, and beautiful,” Bella said, looking around. She glanced towards the ceiling. 

There was a magic circle of some sort, drawn with purple paint, and with an intricate pattern, that depicted what I thought was the elements and powers. On the walls, there were are ancient paintings of figures who looked like goddesses.

“Who are they?” Gary said, shocked.  
“They’re sexy!” blurted out Trexe.  
“Trexe!”

I looked over to the the floor with the magic circle. “What do you know about this place?”  
“A lot. But I’ve gotta say, Chanta was correct after all! She said in her blog post that there was something in the cave. But she didn’t describe it. Some sources say that the language was made by people from another planet! Aliens! Also, I know that the muses are responsible for the rise of the Nightcore powers!” Bella replied.  
“You’re right.” Taylor added.  
“Do you know the names of the muses?”  
“Yeah. My Dad’s a linguist, and he took part in the dig, I saw his files once. There were the names of the muses, simplified from the original language.   
“Notta, the leader of the Muses, used her powers for good. She’s the most important Muse. Luna, the Muse of the Moon, was the scribe that guarded the powers of Nightcore. Sirena, the Muse of Water; and Meniver, the Muse of Earth, helped each other to protect nature using their powers. Searla, the Muse of Fauna, protected the animals against the evil ones. Icel, the Muse of Ice; and Flare, the Muse of Fire, controlled the temperature and weather; on the other hand, Yolanda, the Muse of Storm, uses her powers to control the weather to stop the evil ones.  
“Iris, the Muse of Colors, helped the other Muses to be cheerful; Xing, the Muse of Fortune, guarded the secrets of the Nightcore; Sophia, the Muse of Technology, invented ancient technology to contain the powers; Frey, the Muse of Defense, with her powers, she guarded the weak from the evil ones; and Lumina, Muse of Light, and Natalia, Muse of Shadow, controlled the balance between the light and dark powers.  
“The other Muses; Electra, Verius, Mystika, Lersta, Mystika, and Lofne; had their own duties.”

The rest of the group and I carefully understood and heard Taylor’s explanation about the Muses, and he explained more about how they ruled and perished.

“What happened to them?” Yamia asked.  
“As they had powers stronger than the other citizens, an evil mage named Aethari thought that they’d overthrow him. He was jealous of them, and started a war against the Muses. In a turn of complicated events, the ancient advisors of the civilization decided to hide the Muses in a secret place, so Aethari couldn’t ever reach them.   
“There’s a prophecy, that was translated by the staff responsible for the archaeological dig, that stated the Muses dispersed fragments of each of their powers into the world, which will rise thousands of years later. The powers were translated as being called Nightcore. And now, as we all know, this whole group has those powers.  
“Anyway, getting back to the point, the Muses were stored in cryogenic pods of ancient technology, far underground. The people at the dig couldn’t open them at all. After the dig was over, Dad snuck over to the dig site, and wrote about them, even if he couldn’t release them from cryo.” Taylor lengthily explained.  
“Thank you so much, Taylor!” I thanked. “Now, everything kinda makes sense…”

However, as I finished talking, I saw that the cave was shaking, and most of us fell on the ground.

3rd Person POV

“Wait! What happened?!” screamed Onris.  
“Oh! I forgot something.” Taylor said. “The inscription at the dig site said that the muses’ sacred place will perish if mortals enter it! At first, I didn’t know what that meant. But that all makes sense now. WE’RE GONNA DIE!”  
“It won’t happen! Look at that picture there!” Mitch pointed to an ancient painting, which depicted a group of people singing. Other than that, there was nothing else.  
“How do you know it works?” Elena replied. “I mean, we don’t know any of the weird writings here!”  
“Why don’t I try?” Mitch asked. “Hey, we’re all together here in this cave. Bella, Yamia, Taylor, Cloud, Jacqueline, Trexe, Gary, Jay, Fortesa, Onris, Kass, Elena, Yuran, and I!”

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Mitch started to sing with all her heart and soul. Slowly, the magic circle on the floor started to glow brighter, but still dim.

“What’s Mitch doing?!” Yamia shouted.  
“She’s following the picture, duh!” Taylor exclaimed. “And the dang floor’s glowing! That probably means it’s working!”  
“Okay! Then we’ll follow Mitch on the way!” Jacqueline agreed.

As Mitch sang even further, and becoming more melodious, the other members of the group started to sing together, each with their different voices. Not long after, the magic circle glowed even brighter, and a glowing cyan vortex started appearing in the middle of the circle, with it becoming bigger as they sang even more. All of a sudden, there was a continuing gust of wind coming from the vortex, followed by the light from the magic circle becoming brighter than ever before. Gradually, the power contained within the magic circle became stronger, causing the teenagers to float into the air. With the vortex open, they all flew into the vortex; and as all of them entered it and nobody was left, it dissipated into thin air.

However, there was an onlooker that the group never knew was there. Behind one of the large boulders, a being in a black cape peeked outward, and walked into the center of the room, surrounded by the circle. They took off their cape, revealing a humanoid being, with dark pink hair and glowing red eyes. 

“So. The inheritors of the Muses’ powers are indeed on this planet. I, Etari, descendant of High Mage Aethari, and the new princess of Laseta, will hunt down these individuals and take my ancestral revenge.” the being said, removing her cape, revealing an ornate dress under it. Quickly, Etari threw the cape towards the floor, and walked away.


	14. 13

Mitch’s POV

I slowly opened my eyes. A cold gust of wind blew, and there was a bright light. Standing up and looking around the unknown landscape, I saw that everything was different. Not long after, the others woke up, still on the ground, probably really confused about the the new dimension that we were all in.

The new landscape didn’t seem like anything on Earth. The wind, again, was colder than any other place I’ve ever been to; and there were no trees or buildings in sight. Up in the sky, there was a moon, which glowed silver, like on Earth; but the sky was otherworldly, as it was dotted with shimmering stars and multicolored nebulas. The ground was covered in tall, dark teal grass, which looked like nothing from Earth. I jumped up and looked at my other friends, who were all lying down. 

“Wake up! We’re here!” I exclaimed.  
“Oh…Where are we?” Taylor exclaimed. “Ah!”  
“What is it?”

Looking down, I saw that the both of us was just nearby a body of water. Numerous colorful fish swam in the water, their colors rapidly changing, just like a chameleon. Clearly, this place is not on Earth.

“First off, where is this?” Taylor asked.  
“We’re stuck here. Is this even on the Isles?!” Jacqueline suddenly panicked. “We’re probably going to die here.”

I started to look around the place, and decided to walk around. The silver grass sparkled, dew dotted all over them. The air was still cold, but the constant gusts of wind were gone. Soon after, the rest of the group woke up, and started walking around this unknown place as well.

“This is amazing.” said Yamia. “Just look at the sky!  
“I’ve never seen anything like this.” Trexe added.

As the group ventured further, a bunch of purple trees, which had fruits that glowed, started to show up. There were also numerous pink flowers, that shined like gemstones, that bloomed on the alien trees.

“Wow, what’s that?” Elena asked, trying to get the extraordinary blue fruit from the tree.   
Cloud stopped her. “No! It might be poisonous, or worse.”  
“Hello, anybody there? Anyone who owns this planet?” Yuran shouted towards the open plains.

All of a sudden, as we walked from the direction of the trees, a thick layer of fog blocked our way, with almost nothing to be seen, but the sky, and what looked like the top of a mysterious structure.  
It’s a possibility that it’s abandoned. We decided to walk into it, with me leading the way.

Ten or so minutes passed of walking in the fog, and we stopped at an empty field, with a few trees. The building was still far away. There was only that, and something else — a tunnel leading underground, which was closed, with a keypad in its rim, which had alien letters instead of any numbers.

“Let’s enter it.” I bravely claimed.  
“You could, but it’s locked.” Trexe replied.  
“May I try it?” Gary tried to enter the supposed code, but it didn’t work. 

Soon, the others tried it, but the tunnel’s doors were still closed. Finally, Taylor attempted to enter the code. For a few seconds after, the door stayed closed, and suddenly slowly opened. The door to the tunnel was finally unlocked, with a set of stairs leading downwards. In groups of three and two, we all entered the tunnel; and it was almost pitch black.

“Does anyone have a flashlight?” Bella said.  
“Nah. I can’t even look for my phone here, because it’s so dark!” Taylor replied.  
“Same here.” I replied.  
“What are we gonna do now? We’re trapped in this weird place, we can’t see anything, and who knows what’s waiting for us this place!” Gary retorted. As he talked, a glow appeared from the far end of the dark tunnel.

“Hey, you see that?” I asked the rest of the group.  
“Yeah, what’s that light over there?” Cloud replied.

The source of the light somehow moved forward. Most of us prepared our powers, just in case it was something dangerous. As the light drew even closer to us, its color abruptly changed — from a bright silver to a light pink.

“Was that an explosion?!” Bella panicked again.

As the light’s source was finally in front of us, the ones in the front started to close their eyes, their prepared powers disappearing from their hands. I did so too, as the light was too bright.

“Chuu, Chuu!”  
“What?” I said.

I began to open my eyes, and suddenly, a mysterious monster was in front of the group and I. Floating a bit off the ground, the creature was small, in pastel hues, and it looked like living goo, with eyes and a small catlike mouth. It had a small horn on the top of its head.

“Aww, it’s so cute!” I said, reaching out to touch it and pinch its face.  
“Mitch! Don’t do that, it might be poisonous. Or even carnivorous!” Yamia gasped.  
“Yamia, calm down! It’s a cute alien. Aww, it’s a cutie pie.”  
The mysterious being seemed to like me very much, and it jumped up to my hands. “Chuu! Chuu!”  
I was overjoyed about this new creature, and decided to finally name it. “I’m going to call it Unico Chuu! It’s like a unicorn!”  
“It’s not a unicorn, Mitch. Unicorns are magical horses with one horn,” interrupted Yamia.  
“Chuu!” Unico called, and jumped on Yamia.   
“Get away from me! Get away!”  
“We found a new friend!” I announced. “I think Unico can help us on our journey. Maybe it can lead us somewhere. Let’s go!”

We started to walk further into the tunnel, as all of us followed Unico, who was simply floating by, and glowing. Venturing further into the tunnel, the walls were covered with some kind of alien language — the one we saw in the cave — accompanied with pictures that told a story of some kind. 

“This art is great, but I have no idea on what it’s supposed to say.” Trexe said, looking at the words.  
Unico was still floating by, and suddenly stopped at a point. In front of it, there was a set of four separate tunnels, leading to who knows where.

“So, there’s four pathways here. One of them would most likely lead to that building. But I don’t know either. Maybe let’s try for ourselves?” Taylor inquired.  
I agreed. “Yeah, sure! Jacqueline and I will head over to the first path with Unico. Cloud and Yamia will go to the second path; Taylor, Bella, you both will go to the third one. Trexe, Jay, and Gary can go to the fourth one. The others can choose their own groups. Fortesa, Onris, and Kass can stay here, and find out if somebody is in trouble. All set?”  
“Sounds kind of disorganized, but sure.”

Not a second after that, the rest of the group divided into four small groups. I entered the first tunnel, with Jacqueline and Unico following suit.

Yamia’s POV

Cloud and I started to make our way to the second tunnel. It was darker than the previous room, and I was kind of scared.  
“So where will you think this path leads?” I nervously asked Cloud.  
“I don’t know, Yamia. I wish I had a flashlight. It’s too dark here.”  
“Why don’t I use my powers?” I inquired, lighting up a yellow glow from my hands.  
“Why didn’t I think of that?” Cloud laughed, also emitting a silver glow from his hand.

The both of us walked further slowly. All of a sudden, I tripped and fell to the floor. 

“Yamia, are you okay?” Cloud asked.  
“I’m okay!” I replied.

As I got up, I grabbed Cloud’s hands, and we ran further towards the end of tunnel. At that point, I felt even more scared, as I began to hear a mysterious voice resonating from the walls; it was someone or something loudly shouting. I stopped running, and froze on the spot. As the sound drew near, I prepared my powers to attack whatever the source of the sound was.  
The loud noise turned out to be from behind us, and it was Yuran.

“Sorry.” Yuran said. “There’s something here!”  
“It’s okay. And what is it?” I replied.  
“That!”

All of a sudden, a huge insect-like alien flew near towards us, trying to attack Cloud, Yuran, and I. Blasting an orb of yellow light towards the alien, it hit the being, but it was otherwise unharmed. The alien started to attack us again; I grabbed Cloud’s hand, and the three of us ran away — but to the direction where the alien came from.

“Yamia!” Cloud shouted. “What are you doing?!”  
“I have a plan.”

Bella’s POV

We headed over into the second path, and I used my powers to light the way. On the walls were elaborate paintings, accompanied by the same ancient language we saw in the caves.   
Taylor took pictures of the paintings and pictographs. The paintings depicted the Muses saving people and fighting off evil, using their music powers. 

“These depicted events that happened involving the muses. The first painting tells of how the meteors containing Nikorans, denizens of the planet of Nikora in Andromeda, fell down to the Isles; and the aliens there started to live on the islands.   
“They helped humans, lived together with them in harmony, and helped build the civilization there. The Nikorans had powers by default, and as the humans lived with them, they obtained powers from the Nikorans as well. A noble who joined the Nikorans on their journey to the Isles, was there as well. He was named Aethari, and he was a powerful wielder of the innate powers. He lived in the villages nearby.  
“The Muses became the idols of the civilization, due to their powers and beautiful singing voices. They were quickly praised by the ancient people. By the time of the eve of their fame, Aethari was crowned as the king of the civilization, as he proved that he had immense power. However, he was an arrogant and prideful king; who enslaved and killed thousands of people.   
“He thought that the Muses tried to overthrow him, and he believed that they posed a threat to his rule.” Taylor lengthily explained.  
I pointed to another picture; which depicted the Muses in the magic circle, with a vortex forming in the middle of the circle. “Just like what we did in the cave.”

Other paintings depicted the Muses looking at the sky, which had both the moon and sun. As Taylor continued the story, I saw more of the images on the pathway’s walls.

“Are these the descendants of the Muses?” I asked Taylor, as I saw the paintings of people attacking creatures and aliens.   
“Before the Muses disappeared, a group of ancient knights had fragments of the Muses’ powers in them. As the Muses disappeared, and war raged; the Remnants, as the inheritors of the Muses’ powers were called, continued their lives and survived the fall of the ancient civilization. “However, if a Remnant dies, his or her power will disappear, and be transferred to their offspring, then it goes on for generations. Alas, this is the fate of the Muses’ Remnants.” Taylor told.  
“More information, please?” I said.  
“The rest, I don’t really know—”  
I interrupted Taylor, as I heard a loud sound nearby. “Who’s that?”

Suddenly, as I was just about to run away with Taylor; I saw Cloud, Yamia, and Yuran worriedly running towards the two of us. I raised my hands up.

“Hey, stop! What happened?” I asked.  
“THERE’S AN ALIEN!” Yuran screamed.

As the five of us grouped together, a loud roar resonated through the tunnel. All of a sudden, a large insectoid alien was in front of us; I started to attack it with my powers. Soon, the others followed doing so.

Jay’s POV

“Where's everybody?” Gary asked.  
“I’m here.” I said.  
“Here.” Trexe replied.

The three of us finally reached the end of the tunnel; and there was a single door, which hissed open. All of us entered the room, and the lights flickered on as soon as we entered. It was an armory.  
All four walls displayed a plethora of blasters, spears, swords, and other futuristic weapons. I told the others to pick up some of the weapons. Trexe picked up an energy blaster, and what looked like a stun gun. Gary, on the other hand, found something more useful.

“Gary? What’s that?” I asked.  
“This looks like a tablet computer. It’s almost like the Songbird Book z17. Maybe it has some important info in it. It’s probably in some alien language, though.” Gary replied, keeping it in the backpack he has with him.   
I opened a nearby box with the help of Trexe, and the box contained a lot of futuristic clothes to wear. “Why’d they abandon these? They’re cool!”  
“I dunno. There’s probably better gear, I think.” Trexe replied.

All of us were finished with the preparations. As I left the room, a swarm of insect aliens started to attacking us. Dodging them, I told Gary and Trexe to attack them with the newly found weapons, and I attacked the aliens using my powers, and the weapons.  
It turned out that the weapons were more effective than I thought, as they took out the aliens faster then when I used my powers. After all of them were down, the three of us ran out. 

“Come, move fast!” I shouted, running towards the hallway to the left of the armory. “This way!”

Mitch’s POV

After ten or so minutes of walking in the tunnel with Jacqueline, we stopped at the end of the tunnel; where there stood a locked door, a lever, and a sign in the alien language. I tried to pull the lever up. Quickly, the door opened up. Unico freely swooped into the new room, and we followed suit. 

“Is this the electric room or something?” Jacqueline said.  
“I mean, there’s a lot of stuff I don’t know how to use here. There’s panels and all kinds of weird stuff.” I replied. “How about I try to fix it? So there can be lights in the other tunnels.”  
“No, it can electrocute you.” Jacqueline warned. “We need Taylor! But he’s with Bella!”  
“I got this, even without him.” I insisted.

In front of me, I saw a group of nine clear panels on the wall, arranged in a square formation. It looked like I need to light them all up. Upon pressing one of them, it glowed a bright pink.

“Don’t do this!!” Jacqueline panicked.  
“I can do it. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?” I replied.

Pressing down on the rest of the panels, it looked like nothing happened. Abruptly, I pressed the panel in the middle, causing it to glow purple. A few seconds passed, and the lights glowed to life. All of us cheered. We ran outside the room, seeing the lights go on in the pathway, causing the pathway to glow a light blue.

“Chuu! Chuu!” Unico cheered.  
“Thank you so much, Mitch! Sorry I underestimated you.” Jacqueline replied.  
“It’s alright.” I replied.

However, a bunch of aliens started to fly towards us, and we started panicking, trying to run away. Unico stayed back, trying to attack them with beams of light it shot from its unicorn horn, but he unfortunately was too weak; and the aliens started to gain on it. 

“Unico! No!” I shouted, as I used my powers to attack the unknown aliens. They fell, and seemed like they were dead. Unico flew back to me.  
“What happened, Mitch?” Jacqueline asked.  
“I dunno. Okay, stay calm! We’ll try to escape from this place!”


	15. 14

Kass’ POV

We went outside towards the mysterious building to find some evidences of the planet. My friends and I took pictures and selfies except for Fortesa humming softly to make no powers forming outside.

“Heh, this place is so far away to find the evidences and mysteries. Maybe is this the home of the muses according to Taylor,” Stormi was identified about the place that we walk. There are many tall boulders appear that blocking our side. There are many flowers and purple trees shining like sparkles. There are so many bunnies running towards the gardens.

I hold the bunny and I hug it. “Bunny, you are so cute when you cuddle me!” The bunny cover its own face with its paws. Elena touch another bunny instead.

“I hate cute bunnies, they always annoying me!” Stormi despised.  
“How dare you to say that about the nature! You think that you wandering about those adorable animals for a nasty behavior?’ Fortesa asked about it.  
“At least, stop being a slubby face for a moment. Especially these rabbits will invade you too.”  
“What?” Elena let the bunny go. “I told you so, these bunnies made us exciting, you distracting this place for no reason!”

I saw the bunny was turn into a different mode. “What happened?” The bunny became a beast monster and I scream out. “No!” The rabbits became a beast.

“Stormi, how could you say that that they become wild when you hate them?!” I scream at her.  
“Kass, you rather say different things about cute and adorable, I am allergic to adorable stuff.”

The beast attack us and we use singing to kill the beasts. Our powers shoot up to the beast and summoned them with musical sorcery. Elena used Ballerina dances to attack the beast and she protect us from them. “Elena, how do you use ballerina techniques?”

“It was actually started as a ballerina dancer, but I use it for fighting nasty creatures.”

We team up with magic and destroy the beast. The beast are now disappeared and we high five. “Now we are done, let’s go to the other side!” I scream with happiness.

“Upz! We must comeback to the homebase, you idiots!” Stormi denigrates.

“But why not?!”

“There are many monsters in this planet, we must find out our friends are okay!”

I tried to go into the deeper side of the jungle for hunting some creatures. “Come on and follow me!” Stormi grab and pull me tight.

Yuran’s POV

I used scream to attack the aliens in the tunnel and it hits over me. I tried to get up but failed. I saw Taylor and Cloud using breakdance techniques that cloud break the alien’s poisonus tacts. Bella used to play the piano and attack towards the aliens, now they killed. Yamia used to sing a song to attack the aliens and they became into shattered stones.

Not yet to be finished, the huge wave of aliens came to appear towards us, my friends planned and think about they should be kill off. I tried to hunt over the aliens so I can stand up but I became weak.

“There are many aliens here, I wonder they came from!” Yamia said to them.  
“According to my dad, The aliens was called Grinox because they look like huge spiders with six eyes, have huge abnormal head, long tentacles attach its two tails and has a big eye on the center. There are many such aliens, beasts, insects and grievers in this planet such as Kloxi, Magnovus, Lupinix and Omnigus,” Taylor describe the aliens and beasts.

“Look at Yuran, guys!” Cloud pointed over me as I barely stand up. He went to me to help. “Are you okay, Yurie?” I stand up but I almost to fell on the ground. My powers absorbed in my body and my eyes are glowing. Cloud using his powers to feed up my power. “Yuran gets weaker! Guys, be careful about this!”

“Ok!” Taylor, Yamia and Bella team up to fight towards the aliens and they fight with music until they become weak. Bella collapsed on the floor for a terrible and weak condition, Yamia was hit over a tentacle of the alien and Taylor almost defends himself with powers against the aliens; however his shield was ruined and hit over him by the aliens. 

Cloud called by Taylor and attacks the aliens with his music techniques. He’s so angry that he attack the aliens to save us but the tentacles hit him too, he smashed over the ground and never stand up for had a weak condition of his powers.

The aliens started to kill my weak friends, I slowly stand up as I almost getting angry and glancing up the aliens. I scream very loud as the thunder strike over us. The huge echo attack over the aliens and the exploded with blue blood. I fell down over the floor leaving me fainted.

Taylor look up the glooms of the aliens and he thinks it was smelled like blueberry jam. The parts of the alien mess up on the floor, looks like an artpiece. “We must escape the building, right now!”

Taylor carried me as my friends stand up to clean up their mess.  
Gary’s POV

After we went down the stairs, I switch up the lights and there are pipes on the ceiling, there are boxes on the corner and the hallway was wide enough to hide. “Hweh, we are safe in peace! There are no aliens and monsters should be hunted over us. Thank God it’s Sway out!” Trexe was thank by himself.

Jay was peeking over if there are aliens are coming. I tried to call him to hide, “JAY! You must hide now! They will kill you!” I put over his head on the floor to hide and we use the blanket to hide ourselves. “It is too dark here! Can we read post on the toxic sites?” “A BIG NO!”

We heard the different noises from the hallway and it was very far. We felt very scared and we think that they will kill us if they uncover us with the blanket! Onris tried to pull up the blanket and throw the bomb towards the hallway and he hide again.

“Onris, do you think it will work?!”  
“I don’t know why it will happened by the way.”

The bomb exploded and the number of noises rambling and howling as we scream. “Guys, we need to try not be afraid. We must use our guns that absorbed our powers.

The creatures ran towards the door and we uncover the blankets to shoot the creatures until the ammo was all gone. We forgot to get extra ammos and we find on the bag, the monsters almost hit with its powers, suddenly, a mysterious lady attack over the monsters and destroy them with her staff. We flirt over the beautiful woman destroy the monsters.

She has white hair and a blue skin who wears a galaxy dress. “Thank God, you are safe.”

I tried to talk with her about it. “What is your name? I need to know where you came from!”

She vanish away from the tunnel leaving us behind in the corner.

Mitch’s POV

We look at the huge alien and we need to run over the tunnel. I carried Unico towards the tunnel and run quickly so we cannot be captured by the alien. I kept on running as Jacqueline glance at the tunnel back that will the alien will chase us back.

However, my footprints were absorb with mysterious powers and turn into the sparkling fire on the floor. We went towards the elevator and it closed suddenly. The alien was actually hitted by footprints leaving him disposed.

We are in the elevator and we almost stuck; Jacqueline look at the numbers, there are buttons are missing, some of them are left. The mysterious letters means that there are only 1, 3, 8, 0. This is not very easy, the arrangements are very difficult to solve.

“Eh, this is very confusing, this made by mysterious invaders.” Jacqueline press number 8, her favorite number. I tucked and Unico stares at Jacqueline. “Stay away from me already!” Jacqueline really hates misbehave pets except her golden cat from the casino.

The high speed of the elevator went up, faster than switching channels on TV. The impact of the speed makes me scared, however it stop for only three seconds! We exit the elevator and saw the windows reflect the galaxy, however it ruined. The huge table is around about 20 chairs, it was scattered with drinks and objects leaving behind, I look at the huge table. “It is very huge! How I can sit through it, like were in the political conference!”

Jacqueline look at the symbols of the flags according to the elements, scattered and ruined. “But how this is happened?!”

I found a picture on the floor, there are 20 kids are already on the table, having powers. It feels like that I became emotional about the picture.

“What are you doing, Mitch?”  
“That picture was all about the remendants of muses! They also save the world against evil spirits. However, where they go?”  
“They seems that they already gone and escaped here.”

Unico look at the window and we glanced as we walked. We saw the sky is galactic, the mountains are huge, the trees swayed and the river sparkled with shine. There are many monsters and aliens walked through the forest and mysterious birds flying on the sky. The moon was so different and brighter as the sun.

This also remind us about our homes and earth, but we miss them very much. “Well, you enter the home of the remendants, don’t you?”

I turned back that there is a mysterious lady sounds like a sweet virgin, she was holding a galaxy staff and her eyes shine like stars in the galaxy. She look at us and she asked about it.

“Have you enter this abandoned house without my permission?”

“Permission?”

I hardly to try answering the lovely lady’s questions, I think she became enraged and livid. I realized that she was the keeper of this abandoned building.

“I am very sorry. We been accidentally went to the cave and we used music as our sorcery, so that is why we are here.”

“You been in the shortcut, my dear goblins and dungeons, speak properly.”

I stated correctly about the incident and I became more anxious as I come across to the lady.

“Well, you rather that you say the truth. I will tell you why this world became more different than before.”

The lady took off her veil and reveals that she was a princess of the galaxy. I tried to absorbed my powers. “And who are you? I will kill you so!”  
“Mitch, no!” Jacqueline screamed at me. “Chuul!”

The princess attack my powers with my staff. “You are the music wielders, don’t you? Stop being a mess, Madame!” The princess despised. “I am Majesty Princess Arylene Woo of Nikora, I am the youngest of Four.”

“I am Mitch Mangonia, I am a nightcore wielder and I want to be a superstar after the incident in the another city!” I wink as everyone became emotionless.

“You are an idol from the city and you came here that you said before?!”  
“YES! My friends are in other places.”

Arylene replied, “I think you want to be an idol, I have a quest about you, this kingdom was under control, the laseta invaders are coming again. You will became one of the wielders to save my kingdom.”

Jacqueline asked about the members, “Tell me, who are the members in this picture?” She give the picture to her and she reminds that it was the current remendants of muses.

“I really know about it, since Five years ago, they are the Wave 1 of Modern Remendants of Muses and they are the first modern kids to reign as remendants. They likely my most favorite wielders that they save the world. The lead of this wave was Candeza, the wielder of Music of Wave 1, she was able to manage to team up the members. She also been save the world since when you are young. They became popular, however people ignore the team.”

“Is really they became popular before?”

“I realize, they are the best idols before the new idols break their own records, so that is why Rytem became the home of idols. I was same of you that was my birthday gift about these idols.”

“Like I was fell in love with future stars!”

“It was told by Candeza. It all begins that the first idol camping project begun in the forest since many years ago, 20 idol scouts were in out of danger of rain in hiking so they hide on the cave, they found the pagan of muses in the cave and make powers by using music sorcery.

“They been landed here like you, they fight monsters and aliens and made their own homebase so they never see them again, they arrive the kingdom to celebrate the victory. They comeback again in Earth to pursue their studies and they became trainees in an idol company. They became victorious and they won in the contest. They save the city with music. 

“However, a band leader of a 8-member robot band, Kazumi was actually angry about Candeza’s pride and she want to challenge them. As they made modern music into powers and experiment themselves to make the better. However the early people give them powers on their social websites, now it went viral.

“The group decided to shut down their website for no reasons and put all CDs on their box and threw away in the junkyard. As they reach over the forest, the guards trying to shoot down including the robot band tries to ask why they became popular and famous but turn dangerous. To consume their time, they went to cave and disappear quickly, they knew that the powerful idol group was come from.

They went back to their own kingdom and they found that aliens invade their homebase and they attack them but they turn very weak. Their powers disappear in their body and the aliens leave the kingdom, the people found that the wielders became useless and they died slowly. However, the group of Lasetan servants kidnapped them and they disappeared.”

“Kazumi of Future Stars, the eight idol…. She is the last standing robot, she disappeared in Future Stars…”

“Tell me what happened to the muses and why the disappear,” said Jacqueline.

Princess Arylene can remember the past that she told the story by her mother.

“Really, the muses cannot be dig out by ordinary people against Aethari?”  
“He is still alive and very old, he was manage his Descendants to find the muses but they failed by murdering them from the warriors and people.”  
Jacqueline knows about the story, “Taylor just found the box full with CDs, it was made by Wave one, and they throw away. It is true that your statement makes stastifying. We find some other evidences and discoveries about the muses,the kidnapped team and other mysterious things.”  
“Yeah, we also want to rescue Candeza and her friends from Laseta; but I have a problem, we find the killer who destroyed Future Star, rather than Candice and the muses first. But I want to join the idol agency to persue my dreams. It is hard to find the good and perfect way to choose, being an idol, rescue everyone or convicting the culprit of the victim.”  
“I was also like you, my sisters hate me very much and try to escape against my family. My mother and father get more angry as my sisters escape.”  
“And why?”  
“Because my father want to murder Aethari and Valor! There are many things to choose and it is hard that will solve the mystery. Come with me.”  
“Ok.”


	16. 15

Yamia’s POV

We walk out from the another tunnel, there are also macheries and starships that the people were been used. They are big enough as huge warships. I remove the dust and it has a special meaning that we didn’t know yet. “K03…”

“It was their favorite ship, right? They seems that it was already abandoned and severely damaged. We need this as we return to Earth,” I told them.

“Yeah, It was usually used by the guards of the king. However, it return and it is the participated spacecraft to be scrapped. Nevertheless, the spacecraft left abandoned and it seems that it will blow up,” Taylor added.

“There is a lot of spacecraft facilities also!” Bella pointed that the spacecraft facilities such as flying warship, rockets and others were been arranged according to its sizes. “They also been used too!”

Taylor explained also the expanded story of the aircraft and spacecraft used in the war. He told also about the soldiers who defeat the war.

However, we heard someone closed the huge gate very tight, it was actually Kass and her friends were unable to fight. They felt very scared.

“Guys, what’s wrong?” I asked them.

“Kass holds a cute bunny and it became a beast, there are many of them, we give up fighting because they will kill us!” cried Fortesa in a terrible mood.

“Those are called Lupinix, are rabbits that turn into beast. It happens between good and bad karma. If you despise these kind of cute rabbits, they turn into beast and kill you. The claws have possibility of poison substances such as nausea,and long terms that lead to death. Lupinix considered as an endangered species too,” Taylor explained about the classification of the rabbits.

“True about that, there are several here over the forest too.”

Kass hold the rabbit who been severely injured. She wanted to be with the rabbit. Stormi uses powers to attack her but Elena tries to stop her anyway. “Stop arguing Kass about that kind of this wild animal.”

I realize that they are okay against the beast. “How about other artifacts of the building?”

“There are so many, we must go up towards the next floor by using stairs.”  
We went up the stairs and we found the second floor about the dirty kitchen. “That is so messy here, we go around the kitchen, there are also rats too. Elena freak out. “Rats! I hate many rats!”  
I made her calm down. The room’s very dark, like a winter snow storm, the smell is like a decaying animal. Disgusting taste.

“Guys! We find something for you!” Gary scream at us together with Jay, Onris and Trexe who been went up the stairs already. They supposed that they found the box that discovered downstairs.

“Where do you discover this box?!”  
“From the mysterious room, this place was filled will mess, so we got all the weapons, where is Jacqueline and Mitch?”  
“I don’t know know. But if Jacqueline and Mitch was here, we going escape this building.”  
“No, there will be more aliens to hunt you so, please.”

The time that Gary open the mysterious box and we got the weapons individually. I gathered the huge gun that was larger than the ordinary one, that thing’s too heavy for me, accidentally press the button and zoom out. Within the laser beams appeared, my friends hide.

“Sorry, I didn’t learn to use this gun anyway.”

“Ok guys, let’s equip those items instead.”

Mitch’s POV

Went down the building and she tries to discussed about the broken rooms and buildings. There is the living room that the tv was been already damage and its monitor was broken, there is many food are left, but they already spoiled.

“This place is no chance of living because of the aliens.”

“Really bad.”

As we went towards the kitchen, my friends are found some boxes; they wore their new clothes and equip their objects. “That is very nice, my outfit fits so well,” Stormi was proud of her black sleeveless shirt and a pair of pants.

Elena went out the closet with ballerina outfit and a crown. “How about this, guys?”  
“Ellen, this is not about beauty contest already, took down your clothes, NOW!” screaming over Yamia wearing her new rave outfit.

“Wow, guys, you found it! Now we could use it now!” Jacqueline said to them and she took her new clothes which are actually green.  
I tried to look up the remaining clothes and equipments and went down the closet. I took off my clothes and wore the beautiful dress which is colored pink and its length is above my knees. I wore also a yellow skirt, orange crochet, an orange bow for my dress, striped pink stockings and arm warmers, yellow gloves and some shoes. I tied my yellow ribbon on my neck, not very tight, and I wear a pink bow in my head.

But my back that there is something wrong. These strings are untied! I tried to tie on my back but I can’t reach the strings to tie. Princess Aryelene was looking at me on the closet. “What are you doing here, I thought that you are a man who was peeking over the bathroom!”

“I will help you anyway, you look so sexy.” She tied my back perfectly and it feels like I was stuck on the wall!  
“Is this gotta hurt?” She asked. “No.”  
Princess Arylene found my tattoo which is a heart shape on my back and number on my neck.  
“You have gone shopping yet, do you go in the parlor?”  
“No. Ay! Something wrong in my back, there are marks here…”  
She read my number. “N1877”  
“What does it mean?”  
“You are officially, a nightsinger!”  
“Really, I bet you know why.”

Almost exiting the closet, Princess Aryelene forgot something about this, the microphone. “This microphone is very important. Candeza has a lot of microphones and they have special functions about that microphone. It is the most favorite one of hers.” I tried to hold it. “Thank you every much. As we exit the closet room, my friends amazed about my outfit.

“Amazing and Beautiful!” cried out Yamia.  
“20/10,” Kass rated my outfit.  
“Thank you guys, Thanks Princess for fixing my outfit.”  
“No problem, sis.”

A we went back towards the spaceship, we took our sits and we sat on the table, Taylor sat on the front with Jay and I was on their backs with Unico, Yamia and Jacqueline. The robot brought some drinks and food. “Thank you!”

“So then, where do we going?”  
“Ka’aan! Our kingdom, let’s go!”  
“Wait- I just!”

We scream as Princess Arylene drive this spaceship quickly towards the city and its impact was too high, I think that I gotta be sick!


	17. 16

3rd Person POV

The Princess’ personal ship, after an hour of faster-than-light travel, landed safely on the runway of the Ka’aan Spaceport. The group, along with the Princess, exited the ship; and made their way towards the main building of the spaceport, entering it through the glass doors, which smoothly opened. At once, there was a small complex with a luggage scanner; one more advanced than any on Earth.

“Your bags, please.” a security guard said.

One by one, the group placed their bags on the conveyor belt of the luggage scanner and the bags rolled over the machine. All of a sudden, a loud beeping sounded, indicating that the bags had items in it that needed to be inspected. Quickly, the guards stationed there rummaged into the bags, finding several weapons— ones that Gary, Jay, and Trexe had collected at the headquarters. 

“Excuse me, but do you have a permit for these weapons?” one of the guards reminded.   
The rest of the group stayed quiet, but the Princess cut in. “These individuals are travelling with me. According to Rule Five, Section Eight of the Travel Regulations of Andromeda; the possession of arms while travelling to or from other planets in the Andromeda galaxy, is permitted if the individual or group of individuals are travelling with a known diplomat of any planet in the galaxy. I, Princess Arylene Woo, are part of royalty and therefore a diplomat by default. You are to let this group and I pass with our weapons.”  
“Y-yes, your Majesty.” the guard nervously said, letting the group pick up their bags and pass by.

After the awkward exchange, and everything was hastily taken care of; the group exited the airport. While the rest of the group decided on where to go next, Mitch decided to walk around, surveying the mysterious alien city. However, while wandering off, she bumped into a nearby man; causing Mitch to fall. Upon getting up from the ground, she saw the person she ran into; a young man with dyed pink hair, wearing a brown jacket. He looked agitated.

“I’m sorry! Are you okay?” Mitch said, panicking upon seeing the person clearly annoyed.  
“I’m alright. But what the hell was that?! You’ve gotta see where you’re going next time!” the pink-haired boy shouted.  
“Ah! Are you the only Japanese person in this city?” Mitch asked foolishly.  
“Kinda, I guess? But that’s none of your business! Why are you here anyway?”  
“It’s a long story. How about you?”  
“Could say the same. I’ve been here for a dang week!”  
“For a week?” Mitch gasped. “With nowhere to go? I’ll take you to my friends!”

All of a sudden, Mitch grabbed the boy’s hand and ran to the rest of the group.

“Guys! I found a new friend!” Mitch beamed.  
“Shut up! I’m not your ‘friend’. We haven’t even known each other’s name yet!” the boy said, clearly angry.

The boy let go of Mitch’s grip on his left hand, revealing a set of glowing gylphs on his forearms; which was ‘N3095’ in the alien language.

“Why’d you want to live in Nikora anyway?” Mitch asked.  
“So last week, on the outskirts of town, I saw a bunch of weird crap. Turns out, they were aliens, and they scanned me with this weird thingy. Then they said I was a ‘prime candidate’ whatever the hell that meant, and offered me to get on their ship. I agreed, and they ran some tests on me, but all I got was this glowing alien language!” the boy explained.  
“Really? Whoa. That’s something.”  
“And before I forget. I’m Sakura Koizumi.”  
“Nice to meet you! My name’s Mitch Mangonia. My dream is to be an idol. I’ve been dreaming to be star all my life, but everything got ruined yesterday—” Mitch explained, only to be cut off by Sakura.  
“Yeah, yeah. I don’t wanna hear your sob story. How about the rest of you?”  
“I want to be a singer, like my Mom, but Father hated my music.” Jacqueline said.  
“I also wanna be a star! But I gotta take care of my siblings as well. My parents are always out of town for work.” Yamia told.  
“Same here!” Gary added.  
“I’m going to be famous!” Kass cut in.  
“Enough with your sob stories. So where are we gonna go?” Sakura replied.  
“How about the mall over there? I think it’s a mall.”

With that, the group — along with Sakura, who still had a bit of distrust towards Mitch and her cronies — ventured towards the mall, and unsurprisingly, there were almost thousands of people there. On the multiple jumbotrons in the mall’s square were news reports in alien languages, and one was about a certain place on Earth — the Stellar Isles, colloquially known as the Stardust Isles.

“The police force of Earth’s Stellar Isles have not been able to identify and find the perpetrators of the inexplicable death of the android music group Future Stars. Multiple riots have raged in the Isles’ major cities, from Rytem to Reiva; leaving a majority of the population in distress.   
“In response to the demands for new android music groups, the PATEL Project has been announced. Representatives have stated that the androids from said project will be the potential successors of the late Future Stars.” the newscaster said, in Nikoran — the same alien language that the group had found in the cave and headquarters.

The group went towards the mall’s department store, to purchase some things that may be useful for their journey. As they did not expect, the items sold in the department store were quite different, unlike the ones that they had normally seen on earth Earth. Yamia and Kass “, using money that the Princess had given to each of the members after they landed on Ka’aan, decided to go on a shopping spree.

“Whoa. What are those?” Kass asked.  
“Only the best dresses, made from Vorxaxian cotton—” the clerk said, only to be cut off by Kass.  
“They look great! I’ll take one!”

After the rest of the group had bought their things, the group then headed to the supposed movie theater, to watch some movies that unfortunately most of them do not understand. While the teens attempted to buy tickets, Princess Arylene bought the planet’s snacks. Instead of soft drinks, hot dogs, and popcorn; she brought over Gzegthonian gargleblasters — which were fortunately non-alcoholic — along with Ka’aanish thunder pastries and Zgrenhian yam cubes; all of which were all but familiar to the Earth teens.

“Eww! What’s that?!” Yamia gasped.  
“Movie theater snacks, duh.” Sakura replied. “This ain’t Earth.”

Meanwhile, the other teens were busy at choosing what to watch.

“Lady of the Galaxy, The Xarghg that Florped Me, Class of 20-Epsilon, Blorgflorger Disaster…” Kass said, looking at the movie selections.  
“How about The Caedian Chase? Or Bouquet of Zarklon Blossoms?” Fortesa replied, looking at a few other choices.  
“They’re for adults!”  
“The War of Xa’rzor, or the Adventures of Space Monkeys?” Mitch added, suggesting a few other movies.  
“The thing is, do you even understand what those movies’ plots are?” Sakura commented.  
“Well, no.” Kass replied.  
“Then don’t waste your money on something you can’t even comprehend.”

As the rest of the group bickered on how alien movies could still be understood by humans; the other girls gossiped about Onris going on a date with Bella.   
Meanwhile, Mitch wanted to watch a movie about something she did not really know about, but thought she knew anyway. The clerk at the ticket counter said that it was an adaptation of an alien video game called Revenge of the Cometfarers.

“How about this one, Yamia? I wanna watch that one!” Mitch chimed in.  
“Alright.” Yamia sighed.  
“Okay, hold up!” Sakura shouted, followed by the rest of the group looking to his direction. “Who here actually has a passing understanding of Nikoran culture?”

Out of the handful of teens, only Princess Arylene raised her hand, followed by Taylor.

“So there’s only two people, aside from me, who can understand the culture here.” the pink-haired boy said. “Since I assume the rest of you don’t know what you’re doing, what do you want to do?”  
“Watch a movie!” Mitch said. “Yamia’s going with me!”  
“Except that!”  
“Go to a cafe or something?” Bella inquired.  
“Yeah, sure. So all of you — except Mitch and Yamia, and probably Jacqueline — do whatever the hell you want. Taylor, can you go with them? I mean, you know the planet too, right?”  
“Sure.” Taylor replied.  
“Okay, so the rest of you, go wherever you want. With Taylor. I’ll be watching the movie. Got it?” Sakura explained.  
“Got it!” the rest of the team said.

The part of the group that agreed to go someplace else made their way outside the movie theater, while the remaining individuals stayed to watch the movie.   
After buying their tickets; Mitch, Jacqueline, Sakura, and Yamia went to their seats, and casually sat there. The room they were in were moderately packed with moviegoers of all shapes and sizes. Wanting to ask something, Mitch called out the patrons in front of her.

“Hi, is the movie starting?” Mitch obliviously asked.  
“Well, yeah!” the alien patron said in an annoyed tone, their multifaceted eyes staring at Mitch in anger.

After several minutes of waiting — and a few more minutes of awkward silence, the projectors whirred to life, and the movie began.

—

Meanwhile, the rest of the group were comfortably at a restaurant, which was located not quite far from the movie theater. While the group waited for their orders, Bella decided to tell her friends tales of her early teenhood, and how she got to the Stellar Isles.

“I used to live in Italy, which was also my birthplace. When I was five, my Dad gave me one of the best birthday presents I’ve ever received; a toy piano. It was simple, but it sparked my love for music. As I grew up, it was clear that I was extremely talented at it. My parents kept telling their friends that I made great compositions, but that’s not true. I’ve always been bad at composing.  
“When I was thirteen, my parents enrolled me at the Royal Crynarian Musical Academy at the Grand Isles, somewhere in Europe. I was on a big ship headed there, and everything was fine; until one day, something just broke the ship, causing it to slowly sink. It wasn’t an iceberg or anything, though. On the trip, I brought my piano, as something to remind me of my first forage into music.   
“Thankfully, almost everyone was safely evacuated, and I was on a smaller boat with a handful of remaining survivors. We made our way for days towards the closest country; the Stellar Isles, or as we call it, the Stardust Isles. I was on that boat with the survivors, who I got to know.  
“Fortesa Allan, our friend here, and my future band member at the time; Douglas Maveson, an old soldier; EmilIe Piquett, a little girl that considered me as her big sister; Zan Arisco, the son of a blacksmith; two best friends who were always together; and a pregnant woman. After we ended up on the coast of Mria, on the south of the Main Isle; we stayed in a nearby forest for a few days.  
“On the second day, I was looking for food; because we ran out of it on the sail towards the Stardust Isles. I came back with a few wild vegetables, and I found out that the woman started to give birth. We all helped her, while the two best friends inexplicably ran away.   
“Afterwards, the rest of us were in a hard place. I couldn’t contact anyone. All of a sudden, the local police found us in the woods. We were rescued just at the right time, and I got interviewed. I explained everything, and tried to contact my parents about the whole ordeal. Not long after, everything was settled, with a few complications; and the remaining survivors — including Fortesa and I — were granted citizenship.   
“I was enrolled to a smaller music academy in Rytem, and I stayed at a boarding house nearby with Fortesa. A few weeks after my whole life settled, I saw Emille on the outskirts of the city. I tried to call out to her, but she didn’t even care. To this day, I still don’t know where the rest are.” Bella told.

As Bella explained everything, the rest of the group carefully listened, and a few of them even cried. Onris, on the other hand, reminisced on how he met Bella a few years prior.

Outside the train station near Lencart Street in the west wing of Sunvale, Onris played his saxophone, in hopes that he could earn some extra pocket money on that uneventful weekday. As he played halfheartedly, but with energy, more people came by, throwing small sums of money into the saxophone case in front of him. Some of the onlookers clapped.

Just before he decided to take a break to count his earnings; a girl with long blue hair went up to him, and looked at Onris playing the saxophone.

“That was a great performance! What’s your name?” the girl kindly asked.  
“I’m Onris Graye.” Onris introduced.  
“My name’s Bellamina Berton.”  
“You don’t look like you’re from these parts. Not to be rude, but where’d you came from?”  
“Italy. I’m one of the survivors of the Neptuna disaster.”  
“Oh, so you’re one of those people on the news a while back. You’re lucky that you survived.”  
“Where’d you learn to play the saxophone?”  
“My Dad. He’s an expert at playing the saxophone. He used to play at the concert halls for twenty years, but he retired after I was born. He taught me when I was ten.”  
“That’s nice.”  
“Thanks.” Onris replied. “What do you play?”  
“The piano. I’ve been playing since I was five, and turns out I was great at it. After I got here, my parents enrolled me in the Rytem Music Academy. My classes will start next week. But I’m still burnt out from the disaster.”  
“Don’t worry, Bella, I’m gonna be at the Academy too! I really want to be a famous player like Dad.”  
“Really? That’s great!” Bella beamed. “Maybe we can start a band.”  
“That’ll be great.”

As he snapped back to reality; Onris got up from his chair, ran to Bella, and hugged her. 

“I know I’ve really never said this before, but I’m really, really thankful for you, and JazzCore XPerience. Back then, before I met you, I used to think that my saxophone playing wasn’t that good. But when I met you, along with Fortesa; that trumpet kid, Beto; and the vocalist, Prima. And all of you, the group I got dragged into! You’re awesome, though I haven’t really talked to some of you. I realized that I was good at what I did, and always gave my best for everything. I’ll always stay by you guys’ side through thick and thin!” Onris declared.

At that moment, silence befell the whole group.

As soon as he finished talking, Bella gasped. “I… I don’t know what to say. But thank you too! For being one of my first friends upon arriving on the Stardust Isles. I’ve always been a fan of your saxophone playing. And being in the band had only made our friendship stronger. I’m also thankful for you. Onris Graye.”

Following that, the whole group clapped and cheered for the both of them, with some of the girls saying ‘Aww!’. The other restaurant patrons, as well as staff, however; did not know what just unfolded before their eyes.

“Excuse me. Your orders?” the Nikoran waiter said, standing awkwardly near the table the group was seated in.  
“Yeah. Thank you.” Taylor replied, as the waiter simply set their orders down on the table.

—

Half an hour had passed; and Mitch, Jacqueline, Sakura, and Yamia had finished watching the movie. On their way out from the room, all of their reactions differed, with all of them talking to each other about how they thought the movie was like. Mitch was overjoyed, while Sakura did not really think too much about the movie. Jacqueline and Yamia, however, obtained merchandise, mostly of shirts and pins; gifted to them by a random patron who claimed to work for advertising.

“I’d rate that a five out of ten. I think that was kinda crappy! How about you, Mitch?” asked Yamia.  
“It was amazing! I don’t know much about Nikoran video games, but that was one of the coolest things I’ve ever watched!” Mitch cheerfully declared.  
“Well, I guess you do you. But you kept cheering and shouting while we watched, and that was super annoying! Look what you’ve done to Sakura, he’s totally disappointed at you!”  
“Sorry.” Mitch sheepishly replied.

On their way out the movie theater, the four suddenly met the rest of the group, lead by Taylor. 

“Oh hi! So, how was the movie?” Taylor calmly asked.  
“It was something, alright. Mitch thought it was the best thing ever.” Sakura replied. “What’d you guys do?”  
“Well, we just had lunch. It was great! Also, Bella told us how she got to the Isles. Then, Onris stepped over and told her how he was thankful for all of us. It’s beautiful.”

Jacqueline and Yamia brought over several pieces of merchandise, that the moviegoer had given to them prior. 

“Some random guy who said that he worked with the theater gave us hats, shirts, toys, and other cool stuff.” Yamia explained.  
Bella laughed. “You really liked the movie, huh? How was the ending?”  
“Hey! Don’t spoil!” Trexe commented.  
“Let’s get back to the Princess. Wait, where is Princess Arylene anyway?” Mitch said.

—

The Princess was at a deserted part of the mall, having ended up there due to being less than familiar with the location. As she was attempting to find a way out, a mysterious girl stood in front of Arylene; the mysterious interloper’s figure shrouded in an ominous black hood.

“Well, Princess; you’re back again. And just in time.” the being said, an ominous tone in their voice.  
“Who are you? And how do you know who I am?” the Princess shouted.  
“How rude of you not to know me.” the person said again. “I know of not only you, but also that girl and her friends. How foolish of them to have those powers in their hands, when the arcane forces that they possess should belong to me instead.”  
“Show yourself!”  
“Hahaha. Not now, gullible little Arylene. All I want is that power they possess; the only force more volatile and powerful than any other ordinary weapon. It was a shame that Cadenza and her little cronies perished. Oh, I take that back! I don’t care if the next line of so-called ‘heroes’ turn out to perish like the last. That would only bring me further to obtain that force.”  
“How dare you say that about Cadenza?!”  
“Oh, quiet down. You know that you’re as oblivious as that expendable human.”  
“As the Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Nikora, cease this immediately!” Arylene shouted.  
“Hah! That won’t work on me. If that Mitch prevails as the new Remnant of the Muses, she will be one of the most powerful individuals; but alas, she will soon fall from that position, losing her powers. Followed by her friends slowly giving in to darkness, the magic seeping through their lifeforce. Again, furthering me on my crusade to gain that volatile force.”  
“That just means that you’d destroy anything, even other planets, in your futile quest for revenge?”  
“Indeed.”  
“What are you going to do with me after your twisted fantasy is realized? Imprison me for life in Laseta, and rule over Nikora? Father would never approve of your tyranny!”  
“Oh, please. Your so-called father would fall to his knees, once I show your puny homeworld my powers.”  
“How about Earth? Aren’t you going to leave it be?”  
“Don’t fret, I wouldn’t lay a finger on that lump of dirt. Because it’s doomed to descend into chaos, as long as those amateurs choose to wield their unrightful magic.” the being said, a condescending tone in their voice. “Ah, before I forget. I am Etari Aelyevir.”  
“Etari…of Laseta? The infamous direct descendant of Aethari?”

Upon realizing the identity of her confronter, the Princess quickly shut her mouth. Silence befell the both of them, until the being uttered another word. 

“Indeed.”

Before the Princess could reply, Etari unleashes an attack on Arylene; a surge of electric-looking, purple-hued energy. Quickly, the Princess swung her staff at the assailant, sending a blast of cyan light, the attack inexplicably missing. Brushing off the failed attack, Etari mercilessly continued attacking Arylene; launching a dark red orb of light, which hit the Princess, breathlessly knocking her to the ground.

With the Nikoran royal finally unconscious, Etari swiftly left the wing, leaving nothing in her path. Mere minutes after the Princess’ assailant left, footsteps clattered on the dusty floor; said footsteps coming from Mitch’s group.

As soon as the ensemble peered over her, the Princess abruptly woke up, realizing that Etari disappeared. Kneeling down, Mitch gently shook Arylene. “Are you okay?”  
“Someone…attacked me. That person told me that she wanted the powers that all of you have, so she could avenge a long-dead figure. She claimed that you were not worthy of your powers. Her name is Etari, the daughter of Vahlor; and the descendant of Aethari. She hails from Laseta, a planet that has been the rival of Nikora for thousands of years.” Arylene explained weakly.  
“What?!” Yamia gasped. “First of all, we are totally in control of our powers. And we’re most likely worthy of it! I mean, so far, we haven’t used them for evil or anything!”  
“This is unacceptable.” Taylor added. “Besides, what does this Etari want with our powers anyway?”  
“Princess, I could take you towards the castle. Is it alright?” Mitch replied.  
“But how?” Yamia said.  
“There is an autopilot feature in the ship that sets a course for the royal palace. Before my pain worsens, let’s go.”

Rushing back towards the spaceport, the group piled into the Princess’ personal ship. While the rest of the group were doing things of their own, Taylor activated the autopilot setting on the ship, with the Princess’ guidance; while Mitch took care of Arylene’s wounds.

“Thank you very much, Mitch.” the Princess said.  
“You’re welcome.” Mitch replied.  
“I’ve set a course for the royal palace. We’re all ready to go.” Taylor informed, raising a thumbs-up.

As soon as Taylor announced that, the plasma engines of the Princess’ personal ship whirred to life, and quickly took off to the skies.


	18. 17

3rd Person POV

After a mere thirty minutes, the Princess’ personal ship safely landed on the vast courtyard of the royal palace of Nikora; with a multitude of guards armed in advanced, sleek armor and military-grade plasma blasters in their arms, lined up near the space where the ship had landed.  
The main door of the ship hissed open, and Princess Arylene went down from the ship, followed by Mitch’s group. Upon seeing the Crown Princess exit the ship, the line of guards divided to make way for the entrance of the Princess and her supposed entourage. Following Arylene, the group walked on a purple carpet path leading to the throne room. Mitch attempted to walk gracefully, which resulted in her almost falling.

Once at the throne room, which was decorated in a regal yet futuristic fashion, Arylene and the rest of the group faced the members of the Nikoran royal family. In front of them, sitting on their respective thrones, were the King and Queen, as well as the Princess’ three sisters, and the King’s brother, gazed upon the Princess and her acquaintances. Meanwhile, two courtiers stood at adjacent sides of the room, bowing down.

“Your Majesty, King Zeg Woo and Queen Xuø; as well as the Princesses Virra, Xia, and Zelodia.” both of the courtiers introduced in unison.

Following that, Arylene walked closer to the thrones, and proceeded to curtsy at the rest of her family

“Arylene! Who are those band of…humans?” King Zeg Woo said, pointing at Mitch and her group.  
“Father! I can explain. These are the new Remnants of the Muses. Recently, they had saved me from a Lasetan assailant.” Arylene explained. “Mitch, that orange-haired girl, healed me.”  
“So, you are the new Remnants; and the ones who saved our Princess. Orange-haired one, please talk.”  
Mitch went to the front. “Yes, Your Majesty. My group was mysteriously transported to this planet by a vortex in the Zyuma Cave on our homeworld, Earth. We landed on a place, where there was a sort of headquarters.”  
“So you had found the Hall of the Remnants? Impressive. Arylene had told us that you possessed powers of your own as well. Please, show us.”

With that, Mitch generated an orb of radiant orange light from her hands; followed by her other friends doing quite the same, showing off their power in different ways, multicolored swirls of the Nightcore rising from each of them.

“I see, you all are indeed worthy of the Nightcore…” King Zeg Woo said, an impressed tone in his voice, which segued to a more questioning one. “Pray tell, who had hurt Arylene?”  
“I don’t know. When we were at the mall in Ka’aan, my group found her in an abandoned wing of the mall, hurt by someone. The Princess told that the attacker’s name was Etari.” Mitch replied.  
“Etari Aelyevir, the future ruler of Laseta; the descendant of that tyrant Aethari?!”  
“It’s true, Father!” Arylene cut in. “She declared that the current Remnants were unworthy, and she sought to obtain their powers. She said that Mitch’s group would be unable to retain their position, and would tragically fail as Cadenza’s group would. I replied that her statements were untrue, and she attacked me with some kind of power. Similar to the Muses’ and the Remnants’, but more destructive.”  
“I see. The current descendant of that tyrant had come back to obtain something that he had never deserved. But you, orange-haired one, with her powers, could put an end to this feud.” King Zeg Woo explained. “Again. I am eternally grateful, as you had saved our Princess.”  
“She did it, my King. Arylene will be fine.” Queen Xuø added.

With that, the courtiers at the sides of the throne room bowed at Mitch and the rest of the group; followed by a harmonious yet brief fanfare, which came from a group of royal musicians stationed at the balcony of the throne room.

Meanwhile, the Princess’ sisters started gossiping about how Mitch looked, pointing at her and incessantly talking about the human’s decent fashion sense. “How dare that human save our sister! Her dress looks absolutely hideous!” Princess Zelodia, the third youngest princess, commented.  
“My crown is better than her weird bow. It looks like a bunch of wilted Zarklon flowers!” whispered Princess Xia, the second youngest princess.  
“Don’t make fun of the new Remnant leader. She could save the world with her friends, and you’d be crying for help!” exclaimed Princess Virra, the first youngest princess, and the new mayor of Ka’aan.  
“At least Xia doesn’t look like a peasant with a bunch of Forgasa flies on her head!”

“Well, don’t just stand by, follow me!” Zeg Woo said, rising from his throne and walking towards a large doorway on the other side of the throne room, which was parallel to a doorway that lead to the courtyard. The rest of the royal family — barring Arylene — followed him.

In turn following the rest of the royal family, Mitch’s team and Arylene went through the doorway, which lead to the rest of the royal palace. Similar to the throne room, the other areas of the palace was decorated in luminescent crystal hues, with discrete accents of gold providing a contrast to the purple and silver-hued interior of the palace. The floor was a surface of white marble, with a cosmic glint to it; a long mauve carpet was placed in the middle of the room, stretching from the throne room doorway to another doorway.

“Our castle is always protected by hundreds of qualified guards, both inside and around the palace.” Queen Xuø explained. “And as always, do not run in the halls.”  
“This is amazing.” Kass said, while Yuran gasped and gawked at the palace’s beauty. “Keep quiet!” 

The royal family, as well as Mitch’s group, headed outside into another wing of the courtyard, where there stood a statue sculpted from shining marble, depicting the legendary monarch of Nikora, King Ka’aan. 

“This is King Ka’aan, the greatest Nikoran King to date, and the namesake of our capital city. His father was King Go’Xen, the founding father of Nikora; and his mother was Queen Ren’ha.” King Zeg Woo told. “The spouse of King Ka’aan was Queen Jie-Ha; who was once a duchess in the former kingdom of what is known as the Stellar Isles on Earth. Your homeworld, is it not?”  
“Yes.” Mitch nervously said.

Both groups went into another doorway, leading to one of the many hallways in the palace. Displayed in the hallway they were in, were suits of armor and legendary weapons, all of which were encased in glass display cases.

“These are the armor and weapons of the Great King Ka’aan. In special occasions, he also wore a brooch that was said to grant him immense power, but we have yet to find it. It was rumored to be a gift from the Muses.”

The mythical, but nevertheless tangible, relics of the Muses were also tidily displayed, except in the formation of circle, which had a pattern of a magic circle identical to the one located in the caves. Among the artifacts were the Lyre of Notta and the Sundial of Lersta. 

“Whoa. I hope we can wield those someday.” Taylor quipped. Meanwhile, Kass and Yamia took selfies in front of the weapons, only to be stopped by Bella.

The last artifacts of interest were items belonging to the Nikoran generals. Painted portraits of the generals hung on the walls, bigger than most paintings on Earth.

“The famed leader of the army in the battle against Aethari was General Kivor. He was a brave man. His fellow soldiers were Commander I’kov, Lieutenant Van’gor, General Ley-wan and others.” King Zeg explained.  
Trexe glanced towards a painting of a female general that he liked. “And who’s that beautiful lady?”  
“Xerthezia, once an important figure of the Lasetan forces, and the royal advisor of Aethari. She sided with the Nikoran forces in the heat of the war, but unfortunately, Aethari’s forces executed her for treason. However, there were other generals of the Lasetan army that did not approve of Aethari’s rule. They consisted of, but were not limited to, General Xanoberk; Gahkori; Vykoshe; Prylsoud; Bukosy; and Opsuige.”

Passing by the exhibit depicting Nikora’s greatest knights; there were also detailed paintings of the Remnants of the Muses; starting off with the first ones following the Muses’ disappearance, to the most recent one — the group lead by Cadenza.

“As you may know, the Remnants surface on Earth every two hundred and fifty years. Jakana, the first Remnant of Music, and the leader of the first Remnants, sang to put the most ferocious of beasts to their slumber.   
“Unfortunately, she didn’t live too long, lasting only thirty years of age. The second Remnant of Music was Kalani, who was the leader of the Remnants of the second generation. Not all the waves survive long, but others have managed to secure their positions.” King Zeg explained further.

The group stopped in front of the portraits depicting the last known generation, which was lead by Cadenza. The girl looked far from Mitch; with wavy, light chestnut brown hair; a light complexion; and bright green eyes.

“The last known Remnant of Music, Cadenza. She was a great leader, and a good friend to her fellow Remnants. However; the Lasetan leader at the time, still desiring to complete Aethari’s initial goal as with his previous descendants, noticed that the Remnants at the time were more powerful than any other generation, and reportedly sent his troops to defeat the Remnants. No other news of them had surfaced then; but it was rumored that they disappeared not long after the Lasetan forces took a hold on them.” Princess Zia told.  
“How about me, Princess Zia?” Mitch asked.  
“Only time will tell.”

After the group’s excursion, the teens followed the royal family to a dining hall, which was something the group had never seen before on Earth. Long tables were covered in shimmering velvet, while pearl white and powder blue chairs stood arranged tidily near the tables. A chandelier ornately decorated with violet crystals and gold hung in the middle of the spacious hall. Amazed by the grandiose yet welcoming atmosphere, the teens sat down on the seats, waiting for the feast to arrive.

“Many thanks for saving our princess, Mitch Mangonia of Earth. To celebrate, I have ordered the palace servants to prepare a feast to celebrate the bravery of you and your fellow human friends. Consider yourselves an ally of the Kingdom of Nikora.” King Zeg Woo announced.  
“Thank you so much, Your Majesty!” Mitch beamed happily. “But how did you ask the servants to prepare it so fast?”  
“A king never reveals his secrets.” Queen Xuø said.

Not long after, about a dozen palace servants gracefully entered the dining room, carrying dishes obscured in silver cloches. One by one, the servants gently placed the multitude of covered dishes on the dining table; and then, in an almost dancelike fashion, exited the room, leaving only the teens and the members of the royal family.  
As soon as the servants left, the group started to open the dishes. 

Both the guests and the royal family enjoyed the exquisite, yet otherworldly dishes that were served to them; in between enjoying the cosmic delicacies, the teenagers began to talk to each other about all kinds of things, and even the King and Queen joined in the small talk, followed by the princesses. Time soon passed as the group of teenagers enjoyed their stay; but alas, they realized that they had things to do on Earth as well. the meeting of the king, the team decided to go home on Earth afterwards and they thanked about the city and the Nikora secrets to the royal family. The princess gave them the spaceship that she used often for their remembrance.

—

Went back to Earth, the team separated on their ways for some important matter. The JazzCore Xperience went back the concert with Beto and Prima. Cloud and Jay practiced basketball for the next tournament while Stormi played soccer with Yuran. Taylor was in his school for his test, Gary went to the phone booth to call his dad, Trexe went fishing with Sakura, Elena joined the beauty contest, Kass posting some moments in Nikora and Jacqueline was stayed at her Aunt’s house for a short vacation.

The two friends, Yamia and Mitch walked towards home, there is a post about the event coming, Star Festival.

“What is this anyway?”  
“This is the greatest and best event ever made during every year. I bet you can join too, you can enjoy here.”  
“Really?! Thank you!!”

Mitch went home happily but father looked tired. “I thought you are not here in two days! Where do you came from?”

“Traveling in space together with my friends, I bought things at space,” Mitch was extremely delighted. “Chuul!” screamed Unico as he went down in the bag. 

“Hey Sister, welcome home!” Ren screamed and hug Unico. “It is like a bunch of slime!”  
“Don’t you dare hurt my alien pet right now!” cried Mitch.

Suddenly, Indigo was actually reading her favorite books and looking at Mitch. “I really hate your journey out from the village. I think you are getting lost, and I didn’t see you for studying in school.”

“Curse you, Indie. I bet you are getting bored about assignments and studies about math problems. Whatever.”

“Why you are not here in 3 days so? I thought you are going out without our permission. The news spread like fire, the views became the victims. I know you have hang out with your friends every night, huh? You are too young to join the nightclub party.”

“No, I am really not!”


	19. 18

3rd Person POV

On the next day, the biggest annual event in Seaworth called the Star Festival begins in the morning. The decorations were hang on the wall, the stores were already open and others ready for the studios and recordings on the stage. The idols and musicians were also ready for the event, they fixed their hair and their style. There are many people went towards the city for the annual event and there are many pliers were given by the phone addicts. One of them, Chanta Boxer posting some things about the event and streaming some videos with her friends. 

Meanwhile, Mitch got some idol dresses with Yamia for the event. As Mitch and Yamia wave goodbye to their parents, Indigo stayed smile as she pretending she was respecting her as an idol.

As Mitch and Yamia went towards the event, they found Tom and Maika interviewing Cloud and Taylor about the event. The camera was set by a drone.

“How was the festival for today, Sir?” Tom asked.  
“This festival will be the best thing I ever seen!” answered Cloud as he was beamed with happiness.  
“This is will be amazing with more idols here,” Taylor added.

Maika asked us about the event and other activities. “So then, are you joining many times about the event every year?”  
“A few times. Just from the last few years,” replied Yamia, she was also participated about the event.”  
“Yeah, It is the first time about the event and I felt happy about it! I will sing with my friends!” Mitch cried out with joy. She want to participate the event too.  
“Ok, you must enjoy for the first time!”

Stormi was played some carnival games with Kass, and Gary and Trexe played arcade games inside the arcade exhibitions, on the other hand, Yuran screaming again for her boyfriend, Johnathan as people gone freakout because of her.

Walking towards the cosplay and game expedition centers, Mitch found a magical girl group that flirted by old men. “Rainbow mage no.1, Red Magical Girl Reika! I can save the world with cuteness!” screamed the girl with short curly red hair. Mitch became want to be a magical girl too rather than an idol.

“Mitch, are you willing to be an idol like those girls!?”  
“I been inspired as an idol too. They are great too.”  
“You will lose your gain to be an idol if you become a magical girl then.”  
“A what?! I am NOT going to be a magical girl anyway, blotch cake.”

As one of the girls who are similar to Yamia, also known as the yellow mage trying to trick over them. “Hey, will you shut your mind then! I rather that girl rip off me is despise me a lot of bucket blacklist.”

Yamia feared over the look a like mage. “Hm…. who are you, seeing at me that we gossip about you and your mage team?”  
“Rainbow Mage No. 3, Yellow Magical Girl, Solina! I am the best magical girl of Rainbow Mage Seven!” the magical girl revealed her name. “I bet you are going to beat me, eh?!”  
“Well, i am Yamia-”  
“Calm down stop the fight, we need to go some place, they are just cosplayers,” Mitch replied and despised her.  
“We are not cosplayers, magical girls!” Other magical girls laughed with the gag.

As the girls met Jacqueline who was talking to Bella about the event and they asked how the event.

“Hey guys, wanna watch our band concert and other stars?” asked Bella while readied about  
“Ok, Bella, where is Jay and Elena?”  
“Jay was with his friends for their intermission number, Elena might coming here because of her outfit. She have won the beauty contest too. Taylor is on the top list achievers.”  
“I am very proud about them, and I know that I they been work very hard. There will be lots of time about this day, this will be the greatest thing I ever had!” screamed Yamia with joy.

As Yamia,Jacqueline and Mitch went towards the concert, there many people stuck in the ground making them uncomfortable. There are Djs, LIza light, Latrell and Nina were working together as make their music louder. Mitch call her friends to join the event to watch, but suddenly

“I can’t breathe!!” cried out Jacqueline.  
“Stop pushing me on the back to my pigtails,” even Yamia didn’t move because of the overcrowded people.  
Luckily Mitch was on the front of the people watched the concert. “It is gotta be ready, guys!”

“What’s up, Seaworth people?!” screamed Spiro Encore, who was the MC of the year’s event. He is a tall afro guy and loves to groove. “Today, it is the festival of stars, they are getting hotter, better and even stronger for this event, are you ready?!” Many people scream out with joy and Yamia close their ears that made her deaf. Mitch was became more excited to see how other nightsingers singing.

“Ok, let us start our first intermission number, JazzCore Xperience!” Spiro said that the first band to set performance. Bella and her team went down across the stage and start to play their music. Prima set the main vocals and she always smiled on the crowd.

Mitch believe that girl was been took hiatus for a month with Beto, but now she was happy to perform again. It takes 6 minutes to finish their performance. Everyone cheered and Mitch scream for Bella; she was went down on the stage to take a rest.

There are so many bands and idols that performed hand by hand as the following, such as Army Hymn, a hiphop military dance group, the capaciti group Elemusica the duos Sarika An and Sasane An and others such as Funloid, Wannabe project and Lavenders.

An hour of a shortbreak, Yamia and Mitch meet the band on the backstage about the performance. “Oh, your performance is great enough for the performance!” scream Yamia with joy again.  
“Thank you, I accept your critiques in our excellent performance,” said Prima, their lead vocalist and she is a bossa nova singer. Jacqueline smile with joy.  
“And by the way, you and your team will be here this time, there are several idols, groups and bands there that they will waiting for you. But not all of the idols nor bands participate the event because some of them have ridiculous situations,” Beto said to us.  
“Like Future Stars did last time...”  
“You are being a good hero according to your friends posting on social media. Eugene M was excited for your new look.”  
“Thank you very much, I mean that Herr M’s daughter was a nightsinger too?”  
“Yeah, she is a solo singer, not better as her Daddy M. Jay was on Active Zero too who join the agency of Stardust Idols a month ago.”  
“OK, I know it. Wait.. again.. I am not ready yet. My friends are still very busy, where is Michelle yet to come here!?”

However, Mitch went to the authorizing room ahead because she want to see other idols inside the room.

“Is Mitch getting lost or she just calling the nature for a second?” asked Yamia.  
“I don’t know about it, Yummy,” Jacqueline added.  
“I will go ahead now, I think it is very better than that way around.”

Bella left the conversation for the idol event, however Mitch was inside the room hiding over some other idols putting some makeup, others just talked about the intermission numbers. Also, there is a rock band using some powers.

“Wow, they are cool enough, they like us!” She scream with joy. The idols and bands looking at her seriously. “Who’s that new girl peeking out in this room?” asked one of the idols.

“Hehehe…. I am Mitch Mangonia. I am very happy to see you that I will be the idol right now!”  
“Don’t be such a huge wannabe, most of us we grow up mature,” said the nerd on the corner, who has black short hair and purple uniform. Mitch surprised that those idols have the same NS numbers on their body and tattoos, they seems that they’re early began started their powers before Mitch and her friends.. They wore also idol clothes too.  
“Do you want to challenge anyway, can I even get a raise?!”  
“Yes!” Mitch agreed and started to sing but her voice kinda squeaky. The idols couldn’t stop laughing at her voice.  
“You are too cute and funny!” said the girl with darker skin.  
“Korosho!” clapped the Russian girl.

Mitch started to gleam over the idols and she thank for her voice. Suddenly, a mysterious manager stand by over her. “Mitch, I bet you are good in singing, just like Uta.” It reveals that Glyris was the new manager of the Stardust Agency. She was been graduate when Mitch was only 14.

“Big sis? I thought you work in the other place such. Why you have to work the agency anyway? Indie might get angry if she will be endure music hallucinations around us. Exception for Ren despite his age, he was disagree with our music powers like Indie.”  
“True like me, when I was your age, I love to play action video games with my friends but then, I discovered my favorite rock band, Kinesberg. Indie, but she was 6 that she didn’t want to listen in her room or somewhere else. Until now, the band is now disbanded that made me woe. I decide to be a policewoman, although I replace as their new manager of the agency after the former manager resign in this company.”  
“So that is it. I really want to be your manager someday.”  
“I am very sorry, I have tons for training for others. I hate to work. Being a manager is hard way in this business like a policewoman.”  
“Yeah, my friends Yamia and Jacqui always help me, especially new friends. But I really want to fight for Uta who been destroyed by the perpetrator and for finding Candeza in Laseta. I wish to dig evidences for muses too. I am done to join as an Idol, but the other choices is so hard to find. I remember what the princess of Nikora said, I gratefully thank for her and her family.”

Jacqueline and Yamia hunt down on the idol’s room to find Mitch but they were been found by mistaken girl, orange short hair. “Mitch is that you? Do you cut your hair short?”  
“Nah! I am not the one that you find! Duh!” The two girls look at the singers and they are laughing out loud.

“New girls again, everyone!” scream out the boy with blue hair.  
Everyone cheer except for others, likewise the nerdy girl and emo guys.  
“What the hell is going on out here, can I ever see this?!”

“You Schlecht idiots, you rather love groovy music than kpop. I hate weebs,” the nerd said.  
“Like Solina the magical girl, I am Yamia, you?”  
“Keirynn Keira, lead of JVKA. Stand for Jarkata. These are my friends, Jaelynn, Viollette and Aurianna,” Keirynn said seriously to her.  
“Recently, I was being a music wielder, I didn’t take kpop as my own addiction whether than myself. I was been studied in a private academy.”

“Really?! I bet my name is Yamia. I was the bestfriend of Mitch.”

“Actually. I don’t like weeboos like you.”

“Do you think I’m a weeboo!?”

“Weird people are weeboos. They are very annoying just like you.”

“EW! I’m not so annoying, I’m a upbeat person.”

“Seriously, I bet thugs are weeboos too,” said Jacqueline with a terrible expression.

“Bet your luck, guys. We been always together.”

“Where is Mitch?”

“Nevermind he do it by herself around by the way.”

“Jaelynn!”

Keirynn was talking about serious things. “Actually you are all such annoying.”

“No way, stop calling us like this.”

“YOU!”

“Seriously?” said Viollette.

“Senpai, don’t you force me to stay over the street and do nothing, we have something to do right now!” Aurinna went to her with some terrible expressions.

For beginners, Aurinna was kinda snooby but poor. She has pink hair tied in ponytails and wears pink lolita dress with stripe socks and red shoes.

“That’s is all your fault instead.”

“Well then, Keirie, If I’ll be your leader, I hope there is nothing to do for you, I don’t care.”

“Um, Aurie.”

“Only Aurinna, not Annie or Aurie, kitty cat.”

“Well then I really want to understand why so.”

The girls (except Keirynn and Aurinna) laughing. 

“SHUT UP! Keep quiet, so respect us!”

Everyone keep quiet.

“Well then, we must move on?” Keirynn scratched her hair.

“Keirynn!”

“You rather hate kpop stuff and weeb shit, huh? Your face is like a black lamp that you stare my sleep.”  
“Hey, you wash your weebbait mouth with biotic soap, you kitty cat trash!” said Viollette as Aurianna and Jaelynn laughed.  
“Be like a smart pants that you incline your likes and weeb crappy stuff.”

Jacqueline stop to fight of two and Mitch found that they are just having fun as she laughed. “Well, that is awesome great then, I bet you love it. I got the list about upcoming intermission numbers.”

Glyris gave the list to Jacqueline and it reads of the following.

Intermission numbers:  
DJ Zone  
JazzCore experience  
Army Hymn  
An Duo  
Elemusica  
Funloid and Ordiloid  
Wannabe Project Inc.  
Crescenia  
JVKA  
PR1NT3R  
CRZM  
Karakuri Dolls  
Afgitmolfm  
Chateau Etoile  
NeonBerryClub  
Bakamatsu!  
ActiveZ  
Circus Showmen  
Euronova  
Candysert  
Rainbow Seven Mage  
Boogie Groovie  
That K  
Moonnight  
J!NX  
Team Kings  
Idols of Happy Co.  
Liebenberg Airplane  
Wink  
Solo idols of Rytem Studios  
YUTTAPARO project  
Idols and Musicians of Galaxy Potion Net  
Rappers of CYSH Net  
Idols of Atlasia  
Future Stars VACANT

Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 Midnight. TY. 

The newbies bowled over the lists it was made since one month ago. “They are too many! That is bunch of heavy things that ever had. It will be waste of time for that. We are in the last group, guys.”  
“It’s okay for that, let us see what will happen yet.”  
“I really want to know the members yet.”  
“Sure, you have to wait for your turn as you will introduce the members.”

The bell rang for the next intermission number. “Next is Crescenia,” called over the boss and the founder of Stardust Idols Inc.

 

“Who is that big boss of the agency?”  
“Uncle Rio. Your mom’s big bro right? He is actually the earliest mordern singers in this place since your mother’s age same as you. Part of the pop rock band Neptune Lagoon. He is the best friend of Herr M.”

Herr M went towards Big Boss R together with Eugene. Mitch admire her brown curly hair and plain dress outfit. Mitch went to her. “Uncle Rio! I am officially joining the agency.”

Boss R smiled and laughing out loud. “Good, sweetie. I know you wish yourself a dreams do come true.”  
“Thank you, uncle. I really appreciate that. I will shine and do it. This is my own dream.”

Well my kid, I rather you gotta practice yourself before you dance tonight with your friends. Don’t prick yourself by talking new friends first,” said Herr M.  
“Hehe, you are very curious about it. So, I am very excited about your ucoming perforamce. It will be excellent!” said Euguene.  
“Thanks, Uncle M and Euguene. Withal, my friends are not here because still having fun. I am so solitictably nervous that I been waiting for my friends to come.”  
“How unfortunate, Micha. But it is okay you have to wait then. I been also an idol who agencied in Rytem Studios Inc or here in this place, my idol friend Jeremy and Kaya are my favorites because they are good in singing,” exclaimed Eugene with simple fear.  
“Will your Daddy M will sing in the performance here?”  
“Nah. He will be the host of the another event there for oldies.”  
Keirynn stalked to Mitch to add more information. “Even you will be jealous when you forget your friends in the concert. You are in the snail place because you are new. By addition to Eugene and Mr. M, if your performance became so bad that means people will hate you, your friends, the looks, flair and your voice, you need to be patient like us, be kind and don’t such a childlike towards the crowd. This is how a true idol works.”  
“Keirynn? Um, I am moderately understand what are you saying.”  
“It is the world-to-mouth now, Mitch. You will become famous!” said the fellow friend of Keirynn, Aurianna Shuzen.  
“Thanks, pinkie mushroom.”  
“Pinkie Mushroom? How you dare you say that.”  
“Come on Aurianna. We are next up after the boy band,” said Keirynn seriously as she grab Aurianna’s hand towards the stage.  
“Ill go. I want to see JVKA’s performance.”

In the other hand, Jacqueline and Bella was also talking to the pop rock band, That K members while Yamia want to find the group that she want to see, Team Kings.

She found by a mistake that she was actually found by the main vocalist, Ashley of the female kpop band, Wink. She has ash gray curly hair and she is even white and taller than Yamia.

“I thought you are Taeyook! He is my kpop bias! You are also the actress who endorsing the famous Duksu Noddle Commerical!”  
“Sorry, they still busy talking with those fellow idols. You talk with them, right? Let us eat Mukbang and sushi.”  
“Ok. I am Yamia Fosteryard and I am the friend of Michelle Magnonia. I beat three girls who hate kpop.”  
“You call her sasaengs?! I am allergic to sasaengs!”  
“Sorry that really meant to hurt you then. I don’t think so that they might hunt you.”

As the two kept talking about themselves and went towards the dining room, Mitch watched the performance of JVKA on stage as she peek out from the backstage.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” asked Jay with his fellow teammates.  
“I just looking upon my new friends on stage. Her name is Keirynn. She is kinda nerd and she likes only pop rock things.”  
“Hmm…. We are next after them. You are gonna be officially debut without requirements?! But how?” said Heidi.  
“I just looking around so that is why I got stuck and join the the most famous agency.”  
“Absolutely? We just here since 1 year ago, Jay is our new member this month,” said Calvin, their leader with a rasta hair.  
“Yeah, every nightsinger should be in this agency anyway. However, not all of them is here, some of them where scared to hide their secrets of music against his or her family, there are other circumstances that most people hide because of its vigorous supernatural power,” added Drake, another fellow member.  
“Me too then, Jay, what is your band is all about?”  
“Sports, yo! The band consists of athletes of different sports, that is why we call Active Zero!”  
“Oh that is great! I am sure that we must be careful after the performance of JVKA.”  
“OK, take your time, guys!”

The sports group went ahead as JVKA, went towards the backstage, Keirynn calls Mitch for a second. “Come with me, we have to talk about you in the restuarant with others.”  
“Wait, I gotta watch Jay’s performance -” Keirynn hold Mitch’s hands.


	20. 19

3rd Person POV

Meanwhile, Etari and her soldiers walked through the city that accompanied by Tirpitz, Etari’s butler and advisor with green short hair with bangs and purple uniform. He was also dig up treasure on its prestige.

“I think you have a bad day, Princess Etari,” said Tirpitz while walking on the barriers.  
“I NEED TO FIND THEM! ESPECIALLY PRINCESS ARYLENE! I want to kill her and her family so she will rule the world!”  
“Calm down Etari. What do you really want to do… Let us capture the princess or finding other idols instead?”  
“Commander, I rather to do both, but the important is the gem first. Do not hesitate my problems and my plans or I’ll kill you.”  
“Yes, Madam,” said Tirpitz peacefully. He knew about the idols on the cinema while he watching before.  
“Wait! I saw those idols watching the movie, that girl with orange hair is beside me, In particularly I tried to talk her but she didn't listen. Although, she is an idol!”

Furthermore, Etari heard his situation towards about the girl, acclaimed as Mitch Mangonia. She became triggered about her liaison’s flashback that makes her coward, sick and frown.

“Why you didn’t tell about the girl that she is a idol or not, nor your new girlfriend? Is really that the one that you rather go dating!?” cried out Etari within her true insanity.

“No, I rather to think why the orange girl was an idol and she loves music so much. I haven’t talk to her, thus her friends are also similar to her likewise I was observing other monsters in the concentration zone!”

As Tirpitz told the truth, Etari tried to put up her gun towards him. “How many times to tell you shut up and keep quiet!”

“I think she had a bad day with the boss,” said one of the guards.  
“Even she caught scandalous with the other guys similar to -”

Etari threw stones towards undisciplined guards to make the castigate themselve. “Enough for jokes, degenerates!”

As Etari, Tirpitz and the other guards went towards the barriers’ headquarters, they found the guards appear to their side for ask for permission of the castle. The barriers were been surrounded of the castle, it was the royal family’s castle. 

“Freeze, do not move! This is the guards will support princesses and defecting people of mankind,” scream the one of the guards as the guns face over the evil group. Tirpitz and the guards put their hands in the air while Etari decline to follow them so she can ask where the heroes.

“Where is Princess Arylene? Where are her sisters and the heroes that I should capture?”  
“Are you really Etari of Laseta? What are you doing to our majesty princesses and the other people to capture.”  
“I mean, I need to enter the carnival. I would talk to them for a while, not kidnapping them,” Etari was lying to escape the barrier towards the gate. She thinks that place is the castle of Nikora.  
“No one should never transpass this gate, Madame. You must ask permission to enter this gate without any reasons to capture them to make sure they are safe.”  
Etari turn insane towards the guards. She became flustered with a capricious mood. “Asking permission to enter that city, Let me enter this until I getting triggered!”

The guards put their weapons towards Etari. “You should also never to bring your weapons for protecting lives of the family. You should put your weapons down-”

Etari attack the guards until they were killed. By the help of Tirpitz and the her suitors, he broke the door with his sword. “Mistress, you must enter the city now until the guards too late.”

As the guards hide on other place, both Etari and Tirpitz went towards the carnival and there are several people were overcrowded, make Etari miserable and excruciate. Tirpitz lost his way towards Etari and he was stuck by many people.

Following the shout of Tirpitz, Etari heard his voice, however that the way towards the concert and she saw the group dancing hip hop, it was revealed later as Active Zero. Etari got the right bullseye to assassinate Jay on the stage using a gun. “Bullseye!” Etari scream, but the fellow watcher looking at her. “Keep quiet, what is this a toy?!” Etari hide over her gun and answer on the watcher. “Nah! It is a toy you fool.” The watcher pushed her on the back and the following fans next to her push until the dead end of the corner was been fewer fans didn’t look at the massive crowd.

Etari was been angry over the performance ended of the sports hip hop group. “That’s it, you rather than a huge group of rats in space meatballs!” cried out Etari as too far to hear the fans behind. Etari plans another idea to went towards the other area and she ask the guards to took the bathroom first instead. She went down the other pathways instead without guards standing by.

As now Tirpitz didn’t find Etari somewhere, he stopped over the non crowded area and kept on calling Etari’s name while walking towards the carnival. Taylor was heard upon Tirpitz’s voice and he asked about Etari.

“What are you doing here? I had to go at the Space Monkey Lodge to see the character mascots.”  
“Um… I need to my my friend who lost in the concert….” said Tirpitz while looking at Taylor. He got anxious to him.  
So who?” asked Taylor seriously as being curious.  
“Etari, the princess of Laseta, I gotta help - I mean that I must capture her to arrest,” Tirpitz said the truth but it was a naked lie.  
“She is must be here, she just been troubled by thieves so,”Taylor stated his irony solution.  
“I am Tirpitz, I am the guards of Princess Arylene and I think you find the evil princess right away,” added Tirpitz with a terrible bareface lie statement.  
“OK, You said the truth for finding the evil cuprit. Well thank you, I need to find with you right away,” Taylor smiled at him and walk towards the restaurant for a early dinner.  
“Hey, Cloud, I need to meet my new friend Tirpitz! Cloud?”

Cloud and Elena had date and ate food inside the restaurant, he didn’t hear Taylor calling his name and he kept on talking about Elena. Taylor start to get rude and went toward the restaurant, but the guards stand over him. “And what are you doing, Nerdo?!” asked one of the guards of the restaurant.

“I just visiting my friend in the restaurant. I need to talk for some circumstances,” Taylor start to worried in a bold calm. “Sir, the restaurant is now closed tonight. You come again tomorrow. The guards pushed him over on the ground, Tirpitz help him. “This is my friend you fool, do not trust me around!” The two went away towards the restaurant, the people looking at them not amused.

Meanwhile, Mitch became piqued about the performance as she was with Keirynn and her teammates. “I want to continue to watch their performance! I am very sorry! Why you hate me to watch?!”

“You must be not beat a retreat. How many times I tell you do not act like weeaboos react over fujo guys or some weeb stuff. Stop break every rule in the book.”

“Ok…. Where is Jacqueline and Yamia?” asked Mitch she found nothing. “Well, you must behave to other idols, they are allergic to weeaboos unlike you. You must be emotionless.”

“I felt very hungry, Keirynn, I want some food to eat. Are there many mangoes?” asked Mitch. “No, there are many food you like to eat.”

As the VIP dinning room is open, the girls enter the room. Mitch was amazed around the bar full of lights, many seats and gorgeous room. All the stacks of beer, vodka, alcoholic cocktail and cigarettes on the bar. Mitch looking at a wall aquarium. “Wow! That is beautiful!” Keirynn got some food on the table with Jaeylnn and Viollette. Aurianna rather got some desserts. Mitch didn’t find Jacqueline and Yamia. However, she was found Yamia walking with KPOP idols.

Mitch Saw many utensils on the table and she got some one. "Oh, so many people." but we fall in line first. While she walked as the people exited the food store with their other, there were too many food including deserts and extonic. She got some of those and he met a barista named Bart Tender. "Hello, Cupcakes?" I got one and eat. 

She saw DJs played edm songs, disco balls and extonic dancers on the pole. "It's always complete."

“What are you doing here?”

Mitch turn her back as she saw the dark pink ponytail hair girl asked about her. “Whos that? Who are you?!”

“This is me Raisa Pitch. Nice to see you. I am one of the members of .”

Another person walked sadly “I’m Breanne.”

“Yet that’s my friend!” She pushes her.

“Now, who do you think you are?”

“I am Sarah, I am rockstar”

“Rika Reizou.”

“Timmy is my name. Or call me Tim-bre.”  
“Dylane of CRZM. I knew you’re the idol.”  
“Usagi is my name!” the yellow hood girl shook her hands.  
The geeks got the autographs: Autographs please!  
“My name is Kara and we should take a selfie!” They took selfie with us. “#meetthestar!”

“I’m Mitch Mangonia. Nice to meet you.”  
“You’re the popstar’s Daughter? Do you mean to-”  
“Wait, sorry that I ruin your place then. I’m just a bad person that I break the rules.”  
“Oh, we are totally like it. Well, midnight snack time?”  
“Sure!”

Someone runs to us. “Wait guys, Cupcake and Tyler will brought food here!”  
“Where are the other girls?”  
“They went to the bar foyer and they taking selfies. Look at them guys.”

Mitch found that Yamia met new friends  
“Hello, welcome to the bar.”  
“Nice to meet you guys.”  
“ I’m Xyverion this is big guy Invar and that dude, Viktor.”  
“Hello, guys. Achoo!”

Mitch felt happy to met many friends. Even whatever it does; they are very respectful but we’re little bit shy to front of new people. The girls took a lot of pictures and we put them on facebook. We just enjoy it as the wifi went faster.

Mitch tries to peek out Yamia with the kpop girls. “Girls! What are you doing here!?” The koreans picture her with silly effect.

“Taking picture guys. Ashley is my name, center of Wink.” While Ashley is talking very long, one of the girls look at us.

“AHHH!!!!” Mitch screamed as the edit picture was her face deformed. “Can you delete this picture?!”   
“Sorry, it was uploaded. Let’s try again.” Jeeyun used a selfie stick and counted out it was lowbatt.

“Sorry again, guys, I must to charge quickly at right away.” Jeeyun went aheads after got her cellphone.”

Yamia look at Mitch’s impression about the kpop group. “Will you keep quiet here!? I really need to find my long and last Taeyook!”

“You mean Taeyook of Team Kings?! A Eight member group right?”

“Yeah, he is coming!”

Team Kings entered the restaurant with the other groups finished to performed. “I am very hungry, let’s get mukbang,” said Taeyook while walking with his bandmates. “I like this blonde one, that guy with a different color makes me hot!” Mitch added as she whisper. “They are very popular! Where are you going, Yamia?”

Yamia run towards Taeyook and hug him. His bandmates pushed her. “You just incorrectly greeted a Kpop Idol. Get away and it cause of humiliation,” Shun said, he is Angela’s best friend. Mitch went to them as she hand over Yamia. “Don’t hurt my friend right now! She is a kpop lover, you are going to hurt her, like did your fans!”

“Well, i am next to you!” Shun tried to attack Mitch but Aubrey save them and attack him with her powers. “Aubrey?” asked Keirynn. “Stop right here! You should respect fans.”

Aubrey followed by Mitch, Keirynn and Yamia as other idols talked their own private meeting especially her group. They had their own seats that surrounded by huge gourmet. Mitch sat together with Yamia and Keirynn. They ate the food together while talking about controversies and cases.

“Well thank you very much for saving from the kpop guys.” Mitch smiled with happiness.  
“Your welcome. I am Aubrey. I’m an agent of the EXRA. We are the agents that protected and detentected alien energy sighting in seaworth. Not just Seaworth, we are detecting aliens in other places as well. We are not nightsingers. ”  
“OK, I am Mitch Mangonia, this is my friend Yamia. Who the others?”  
“Jamie, Siggi, Shion, Irumea, you know her, Ashton. There is Yellow-Green; Pacific Blue; Goldenrod; Razzmatazz, Scarlet; Cerulean; Fern; Lemon Yellow.  
Mitch saw Yamia crying. “Sorry guys, that is all my fault….”  
“That is okay. I knew Shun is the center of the group, not a leader. He is allergic to fans,” said Jaime. “Taeyook loves women, I knew his favorite fan was Ashley.”  
“Ashley is Taeyook’s girlfriend?!”  
“According to media and the South Korean Government, Kpop idols shouldn’t date fans, that’s all, there is time for now to talk with the other kpop idols rather than dating. Dating a kpop idol is lead to expulsion of the company until now,” Keirynn said.  
“Ah, I see,” said Mitch.  
“Do you have a crush? Where are your other friends?”  
“I have none, my friends are in the carnival, playing. You?”  
“Siggi. He’s similar to Keirynn.”  
“Shut up Aubrey.”  
“Also I am thinking the yellow hoodie girl. Derwyna. She is my childhood friend. She is a nightsinger like you. She is gone forever, dissparting on existence in this world. No one solved for the cases of her. Since I was in my school that I saw her laying down the street and she was beaten. She said her last words until she died. I didn't knew the words she said. This is why I became an agent of EXRA.”  
“You also lost your friend. I felt sorry for your loss.”

Mitch almost forgot about Future Stars and The previous remendants of Muses. “Um… Do you really know about Uta Minami?”  
“Well, I was a bodyguard of Future Stars and I am the one to protect them. Too late that I came from the corner saw Uta lying down while I help the crowd to escape the stadium. The two went missing. The red girl was run away from the group few years ago. The red hair one is Akahitoha Kaede. She is the ninth member of the idol group, Future Stars. However the forth one is Yosa, the black theme idol. She was been smashed down and she was discovered on the backstage lobby before the debut.”  
“Akahitoha Kaede? Is she the killer of Future Stars?”  
“I am not sure, Most people on social media think the anti fans and the serial killers. For me, It was the aliens. They seems that they fully aware that the idols considered too incapable over humility and surroundings. 10 years ago, that some idols trying to escape towards the portal of the cave to avoid the scandals and anti fans. That cave was considered dangerous and not safe, so the other agents nailed the entrance of the cave with tons of wood and police tape to make sure that no aliens enter the city.”  
“Wait! How about the remendants of muses?! They been trapped in the portal.”  
“People nevermind them for their behavioral. Their parents held the court and the case is still opened. No one will solve the reason especially the murder of Future Stars and Kaede’s sightings.”

Keirynn also added more. “Yeah, Aubrey is right, idols today are not just singing, they are fighting. In summary, Yosa was destroyed before the debut and Kaede was runaway. The reason why Future Stars was been shot. Meanwhile the other idols has been escaped towards the portal and they were trapped. Being a idol with supernatural powers is not easy to live. Without music, the world is in chaos.”

As Keiryn describes other information of the cases, Mitch closed her eyes, she reminds that the past as she watched Future Stars, the fans throw the stones towards them as Mitch hold the stone. “Mitch, you must throw stones!” screamed Yamia. “No I can’t!” A huge stone hit her and the nightmare ends Mitch opened her eyes.

“What happened?”  
“Still nothing. Just a dream. Wait, I believe people hating future stars…. I didn’t understand why. They threw stones and putting on fire. It is only a dream, not true.”  
“Well, aight. I know that is truth that you are saying. We must stop the aliens and solve for the cases that we encountered.”  
“Thank you very much guys.”

Mitch was excited to see the other friends playing karaoke. “Guys! I gotta play this!” She happily went towards the karaoke bar. “Hey, I want to sing again.”

The people in the karaoke bar shock over Mitch and they wanted to challenge her. The karaoke challenge has been started by 4W from the other agency.

“Ok. Every band will choose a member to participate the karaoke. If the challenger has the highest point, will get a huge cake in the fridge. For those who where been failed, you are out. So, let’s started!”

Everyone picks a participate about the game. Mitch decided to sing first.

Mitch can't find or never see her friends everywhere.She think they never see her face again. Stole by mysterious people but met a mysterious girl. Colorful punk colored hair, buggy eyes and rockstar outfit.  
"Mitch Mangonia is my name. I want to be an idol. I need to be an idol."  
"Do you really want to sing?"  
"Oh, sure."  
“I am Eva Scene by the way, I like rock songs.”  
“Oh. I rather on pop songs than edgy stuff.”  
(name ) was along with the girl and they have a private talk.  
"We will select on the big screen who is to shine! Not yeet turn, should watch or cheer even be calm and patience while eat, even finished or already chosen, OK!" announced (name) . "Our first........Mitch Mangonia!!! Somebody cheered.   
"Ok! I'll choose a song!" She felt scared. “Even what I am doing.... I holding a mic.... on the backstage….”  
I went to the stage already for my turn. "I'm Mitch and I really want to be an intergalactic idol like them. I really want to sing my favorite song..."  
The people met in the stage to watch my performance.  
Everybody clapped and cheered for me. I laughed. "Thank you very much guys! Where's Yamia?"  
"At the CR, she has been nature callin."  
All of my friends die laughed loudly.  
The big screen selected another contestant. Everyone was excited.  
"Next contestant is... Eva Scene!"  
I was very happy for her.  
"Your voice is beautiful and amazing."  
"IS THAT EVIE SINGING."  
Eva sings loudly. She is a big rockstar at all. Jacqueline went to them. “What are you doing here?”  
“I was karaoke with my new friends. So yeah.”  
Tim-Bre brought drinks. "Super Voyage Spicy Energy Hard Coke! Have fun with the drink!"   
The boys laughing and drank Spicy Energy Hard Coke .  
"Super Voyage Spicy Energy Hard Coke is a product from asteroid cities in the outer space since modern century. It makes your body strong and energetic and it takes your body never be bored in just 24 HOURS! It's also the favorite drink of some DJs and Ravers! And you never sleep in one day! NO WAY!" Spencer just read the label and the nutrition facts in the can. "Like a hard drink!" He saw the punkband drank also spicy energy hard coke."Wow, I we're getting hyper! YOOOOO!"  
Everybody dancing happily and energy. Marsha got some coke. “Bylat! khochesh' chego-nibud? (хочешь чего-нибудь?)” Mitch go the coke can and drink it. “Thank you. I don’t know what are you saying….”  
"Next.... the next ... is........"  
“Next, Jacqueline Evergreen!”  
Jacqueline sing peacefully. I like her voice.  
While Jacqueline sang, Yamia give an ate extonic food from the korean idols and Mitch ate it. "Taste like Chinese food," but vomited to the table.  
"YUCKS! I really want chocolate or ice cream now!"  
"Sorry, I ran out of them!"  
"i HATE THAT!"  
"Oh, do you want baked frogs?"  
"I WANT CHOCOLATE MOOSE!"  
"Ok.... oh Bart Tender!"  
95% You're almost in the top but keep practicing!  
"Thanks Jackie ,next........OH..... Moonnight! HAHAHA!" Everybody laughed as they cheered other idols sat down and drank spicy energy hard coke. "One food left......cupcake," Mitch said seriously and ate the cupcake. "Now I'm full. "I really like here! I want to dance!" So she enjoyed dancing too with her new founded friends and Yamia sing too. 

Meanwhile, Etari made her way towards the tunnel where the several guards went in. She run and hide as the guards talking about the aliens. One of the guards, Agent Cobalt Blue found Etari and point her with a gun. Same with the other agents. “Freeze! No one will never enter this building.”

Etari refused to raised her hands and asked them. “Where are the idols? I really want them right now for the king….”

“Lasetan Alien? You shouldn’t allow here! Hands in the air…”

Etari’s power attack them and turn into cute animals. She went over the door of the scientist and steal some antidotes to avoid the cure. After that, she found two robots, the patel sisters on the cyno-pods. She put the password on the pods and she brainwash the two robots by changing wires.

The Patel Sisters where been awaken. Etari wished that they will help her. “I am Karina Patel. What is your idea?”

“To find some idols. Find them!” Etari suddenly disappear.

The sirens alarm from the other agents in the camera room. The security guard found the camera footage about Etari went towards the lab. He called the agents quickly.

As he was calling, the Patel Sisters appeared. “What are you doing here?! I thought you are….”

“We are sorry. We have to attack the city and terminating idols. The goal is to extinct the idols of Stardust idols,” said Serina.

“You must follow them. Do or die?” added Karina. “There will be no maybe….”

“I gonna escape and call them.”

The Patel Twins attack the security guard and they runaway.


	21. 20

Still, 7:00 pm in the night, the show continued without an actual time to end. The people want to go home but some get tired of dancing.

Mitch and the other groups have had a party on backstage. Mitch has no time to talk with the other people after singing in karaoke and drinking. She just sleeps on the couch and she didn’t wake up easily.

Jacqueline and Yamia were very tired from talking with Elemusica about some celebrity issues and they found Mitch lying down the coach without a snooze or snoring. “Mitch the lazy bones! Don’t you dare about the time you must perform? We are waiting!” said Yamia to her while being the full stomach. Jacqueline had time to talk with her ex on her phone. “I felt very sleepy so much. I have talk with Bella and other jazz and pop-rock groups.”

To decline the solution for the performance, Yamia decided to go home. “Let’s go home, my mom gets mad at me again.”  
“Wait, we must call our friends to performance, I disagree with your decision.”  
“There is no time for this, Jacqui. Nevermind then.”  
Jacqueline calls her friends to come in the backstage but they didn’t pending their call due to low signal. “It doesn’t really work -”  
“I said don’t call!” conquered Yamia for another time.  
“Shhh! Mitch is still sleeping, let’s carry her?”  
“Where?” asked Yamia for some decision.  
“Carry her towards the door, we have to do something…”

Jacqueline and Yamia lifted and carried Mitch towards the door and stopped in the corner. They didn’t get their hands to the door because of Mitch; it was heavy as the gallon of sarkazein beans. They became tired for a huge weight of Mitch.

“Is Keirynn here?” asked Aubrey as the phone rings and she called the phone. “Agent Cornflower here. I will roger that.”

“Is that Bella?” Jacqueline let Mitch head down as she gasp the voice of Aubrey. Yamia gasped over Jacqui’s decision and she let Mitch down her feet on the floor. “What are you doing, it is almost time!”

“Nah. Bella had an emergency again,” cried out Jacqueline.

Mitch suddenly woke up and she shock that she was near on the door and she got blind to see the two strangers as she scratch her hair. The vision disappear that reveals Jacqueline and Yamia. “Where I am?  
“We are going home, we are tired in this place because of you!”  
“I supposed to go home? How about the performance? We are part of the agency!”  
Yamia kneels and holds Mitch’s shoulders. “I am trust in you, Mitch! We are normal people but the hopeful powers are just like a nightmare, not idols. We want to go home.”  
Mitch started to cry. “No, that is what I dream, Yamia. I knew what I believe, about Future Stars, The remendants and others. Without them, my dreams are shattered. As a normal person who have extraordinary powers want to achieve to be a superstar or an idol. My mom was an idol before same as Big sister. I want to continue my dreams, don’t let me started right now!”  
“Our parents are waiting. We are too young for this. Please,” Yamia answered her problem.  
“No, I knew you are wrong. You are my best friend, so please leave me alone!” Mitch pushed Yamia and runaway cried as she closed the door. “Mitch, come back!” Yamia and Jacqueline followed her.

Meanwhile, the family of Mitch and Yamia’s parents also attended the concert to find them, but the people didn’t know where they are. Indigo brought classical stuff on shops, she found Tirpitz and Taylor walking on the streets.

“Who’s that girl?” asked Tirpitz.  
“I don’t know, let’s talk to her,” answered Taylor. “Hey, I need to talk for a while.”

Indigo went to him and she asked for a favor. “I need to find Mitch Mangonia. She spend many hours in the carnival.”  
“Yes, I am Mitch’s friend. I didn’t know where she is. Is the girl you finding as her friend or you are lying as a culprit?”  
“No, I am Mitch’s elder sister. I don’t like your looks and your friends too. Most girls prefer normal things than my sister’s.”  
“Who is with you?” asked Taylor once again.  
“My family is on the concert with the neighbors. They had to wait now. We arrived at 9:00 pm.”  
“Ah, I see. Aight, We gonna find her now, but my friends are in other places as well. I am sorry that I was busy spending in the carnivals as well.”  
“Hmm… Thank you for concern. I will find someone then.”  
“I will find them now. I will help you,” Tirpitz followed Indigo towards the other places.

Taylor walks alone again. “I am so hot boiled. What I would suppose to do?” His cellphone rang and vibrate. As he lifts his phone is Jacqueline’s call. He tried to call her but it is a low signal. “Dammit it!” He ran towards the concert instead.

Meanwhile, Indigo and Tirpitz find Mitch to other people but it never been found. The last person was been contracted to Yuran that she screaming for her boyfriend, Johnnathan.

“Have you seen Michelle Mangonia?”  
“Are you Johnny’s mom?”  
“No, weirdo. I need to find Mitch.”  
Yuran left to them. Indigo didn’t know where she is. Yuran was founded by Gary, Sakura, Trexe, Stormi and Kass who been met by Taylor to find the girls and she asked where is Johnnathan but they rather go to Mitch and her friends than him.

“Nevermind her, she is an idol then. But I need to talk for a second,” said Tirpitz and he let Indigo towards the exit door.   
“I want to see Mitch right now. Leave me alone!” she manages to escape instead of the concert.  
“Come back here!”

Mitch finally entered the stage and the huge crowd scream over her. She doesn’t sing thought. Her parents and neighbors screaming for her. “You do it, Mitch. I hope you will be okay. Mommy promise you!”

She heard her mom’s voice and people cheer her. Taylor went to her together with Yuran. “I am here for you, it is gonna be late!”

“Come here on the stage! We are going to perform now!” scream Mitch on the stage. Yamia and Jacqueline also entered the stage.

“I will not to-” sudden stop to Yamia’s voice and she almost forgotten. “Sorry, that I will never do this again, I am in!” She followed together with Jacqueline. Mitch start to sing with them, however Cloud and Elena wasn’t here, they make more sulling.

As Cloud and Elena went out for the concert, they found the guards asked where did the idols go. “We need to find those idols faster. Princess Etari and Commander Tirpitz is still missing,” said one of the guards.

“They gonna chase us, I think it might be Etari’s forces, let us hide!” whispered Cloud. “There is no time for this, let’s hide over the bushes.” Cloud and Elena hide on the bushes and they went towards the safe place. They found the stairs passage towards the stage and they follow their paths.

They are finally here and they shocked that their friends are not yet to sing. “Mitch, what are you doing?” asked Elena and Cloud. “You are finally here! I hope you will be safe! What happened?”

“There are many anti - idols are hunting to us, so we hide on the bushes! They gonna hunt us!” cried out Elena.  
“We need something to do then. So let’s sing together!”

As they hands together and they jump high. The people cheer up as they started to sing.

The other idols also watch their performance on the very big TV. They cheered happily and screaming with excitement.  
“You can do it guys, I will hope that you will win!” said Bella.  
“Come on, we will be upset if you don’t do this!” cried Jay.

The performance started that Mitch singing with her powers released as it glowed in the dark. Then Taylor sing and duet with her, then followed by Jacqueline and Yamia’s voice to sing. They sing together in the chorus and the powers shined into the darkness. Next Cloud and Elena sing while Sakura accompanied their voices. Finally Kass and Stormi sang, Trexe and Gary rap with the scream of Yuran. They all sing in the last part of the song and huge powers released to shoot over the sky. The sparkle appeared on the crowd and they cheered.

“Thank you!” cried Mitch as she was tearfully thanked to the crowd.  
“Thanks for coming!”

“Well, well, your performance is not very scrutinized with a callous treatment. Amazing,” a mysterious person stand on the tall building behind of the crowd. 

“Etari…. The princess of Laseta…. How dare…. You…..”  
“I have found you. I finally find you….” Etari became serious and became angry. “You sing against us, you ruined us, so I knew you that you are idols….”  
“What are you doing here? You think you are traitor?” asked Mitch point at Etari. “You are going to slay with evil powers. I’ve find those mysteries that we didn't know. You the one who traitor them. The remendants, Future Stars, our love ones and especially people of the world!”

Etari due laughing surrounds the crowd. “How unfortunate. I knew that Princess Arylene said the truth to me, it is a big huge lie. So I slay her.”

People gasped with fear with darkness. The scardy cats saved for them. The group is in a serious trouble.

Mitch start angry at her. “You’re killing Uta and her friends. I knew you are the real killer. I said the truth!”

“I am not the killer of your bias, you are responsible to kill them, I don’t said the truth,” said Etari that striked with anger. Mitch’s tears fell down over the floor and she attacks Etari but she fell on the ground.

“Do you think I am weaker than you? Why music is better than chaos or they are just toys? Do music have powers as you think? Where does they come from, in the power of the muses? You all idols should be next after the other ones! My army want to kill idols that they ruined the whole world! So nobody knows that the killer of the band you must find is already YOU!”

Mitch didn't stand up. “It is not…. Fair…. You are lying…. You told the statement that you killed Future Stars…. I am not the reason to killed them. I am not!”

“To late miserable soundrel, your wishes will be not become true. There will be no more idols. The king tried to eliminate every idol we seen. We killed idols because they are overpowered and dead!”

Taylor told Etari with additional info. “The princess of Nikora is right! I knew what she said. Laseta was invading Nikora and is under control. We will know that you and your army especially the vigorous royal family of Laseta are all traitors. You are a TRAITOR!”

Etari attack Taylor with her evil powers. Jacqueline look at her following Sakura.

“Is this how to traitor musicians? You must have to stop. This is the island of idols, you must leave!” cried out Jacqueline releasing her musical powers.

“You must bring back the remendents of the muses. They are the protectors of the night ore power,” added Sakura as he released his power on his hand. “Where are they now?”

“Hmmm. You will never found them forever. My brothers and sisters didn't mind them at all. You are responsible for this. You are fallen songbirds from the tallest trees.”

The people were afraid the truth behind future stars and the remendents. Etari adds more conclusion. “I will kill you!”

Etari attacks the stage as the crowd trying to escape the concert. The nightsingers attack her powers by their singing voice and music especially they dance together to fight her. The people stuck to escape, Mitch parents are also runaway before the fight, to protect themselves from overcrowding escape in the tragedy.

Mitch attack with music towards Etari’s powers, her powers defends over the evil powers but her power shield is almost broken. The shield shattered over Mitch and Yamia defend her to avoid injury. Suddenly, she became a rabbit after the powers hit her. 

“Yamia! I need your help!” Mitch carried Yamia towards the stage, however, she saw Taylor and Sakura attacking Etari. “We need your help now! We are getting weak!” cried out Taylor as he was defending his powers. Almost, he was too scared about. “I need you help I said!”

“Huh? I didn’t know what are you saying!” She didn’t heard Taylor’s voice because of a loud explosion and she saw Jacqueline was hit by her powers. “JACQUI!!!” She became a little lizard. Mitch got also Jacqueline, Sakura almost getting weak. “What are you doing?! We are getting weak!”

“Etari’s powers also make Yamia and Jacqueline into animals unlike the Future Stars did! I can’t! I need to carried them!”  
Stormi’s umbrella shield over the evil powers but the umbrella break off and hits her into an animal. Cloud get her, unfortunately he also hit into an animal. Gary and Trexe used break dance towards the powers but they failed by the powers made them animals. Same did Kass and Sakura did. Elena found Cloud and Stormi turned animals while does ballerina dances but she had to stop, get the animals that were been formed and she runaway towards Mitch. “Here! I must help you!”

Meanwhile, Taylor’s powers became too weak and his shield almost crimped up, because it has excessive evil powers taken by Etari. “I didn’t do this well!”

Elena hold over Mitch animals and defends Taylor with music, as Mitch covered up with the animals and the huge explosion appears as the crowd runaway. After the explosion, there is a dove and a turtle on the stage, resembling Elena and Taylor was hitted by evil powers. Mitch had to get them. “Mitchy Maggie. You will be the last girl to be hit by my powers!”

Mitch and the animals doudge with the powers and the evil powers hit the ceiling of the stage and the backstage door. It collapse on the ground as Mitch escape the stage as it falls and destroyed. 

On the other hand, the idols are throwing an enduring reaction towards the TV and it was stand by for offensive viewers. “What happened to the newbies?!” said Mayu Tomoyo, a wannabe project idol. “The concert is under control, we need to stop the evildoers and anti fans against us,” answer Big Boss R. “You all must be brave, stay away of the powers of evil.”

Glyris called them to check the members list. “OK, you must be patient. I’ll call your name and after that, which place you must go. You must help them if they caught in trouble, the EXRA members are also hunt for the aliens.”

Big Boss R brought the list of the groups to manage to hunt aliens especially Etari.

“DJs you must stay on the mixing studio to find aliens to attack them. Solo Idols you must do it yourselves on the open area of the carnival to monitor the aliens and report the agents that you found them. Rock bands should monitor on the shops, Candyssert should also monitor on candy stores, Active Zero, you must be monitoring around the stage together with JazzCore Experience. Also JVKA and Elemusica you must stay here to monitor inside the studio. Also K-pop idols….. Bla bla bla…”

“Bella, we got to do this! We must save the carnival and the festival by our music.”  
“Yes, Jay. We must work together as one!”

As the groups exit the studio to do their own duties, Keirynn said to Jay for a second. “There will be more perpetrators will chase us. We must stay here together with the boss and manager to protect the studio.”  
“Stay safe, guys. We have to find out what is going on outside!”

ActiveZero and JCX exit the studio as they shock at the whole devastation of the chaos in the carnival. Too many lasers attack the whole carnival, the people ran everywhere they hide, some idols help kids to survive and others were hitted and turn into cute animals too. They felt scared to very well

“Let us do this right now!” screaming Rafa towards them. “Sure!”

They attack the evil invaders by music, the other invaders chased them, but they caught more members and turn into animals. They sent them in the cage too. Bella and Jay are the only people left to chased, they hands together to save their lives, however they found many invaders surrounded by them. “I think this is the dead end, Jay,” complained Bella. The invders made them into animals.

The cages were been kept on their secret place that no one will get them.

**Author's Note:**

> Adapted from Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/story/179506723-nightsingers-a-nightcore-story


End file.
